How to Lower Resting Heart Rate
Know your current resting heart rate., Take your pulse., Evaluate your resting heart rate., Know when to see your doctor.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know your current resting heart rate.
Before you start taking action to try to lower your resting heart rate, it's important to know what your starting point is.
To do this you just need to take your pulse and count the beats.
You can do this at the carotid artery (in the neck) or at the wrist.
Be sure that you are resting and relaxed before you start.
The best time to do it is before you get out of bed in the morning. -
Step 2: Take your pulse.
To take your pulse at the carotid artery, place your index and middle finger tips lightly on one side of your neck, to the side of your windpipe.
Press gently until you find the pulse.
To get the most accurate reading, count the number of beats in 60 seconds.Alternatively count the beats in 10 seconds and multiply by six, or 15 seconds and multiply by four.
To measure your pulse at the wrist, place one hand palm up.
With the other hand, place the tips of your index, middle and ring fingers below the base of your thumb until you feel the pulse.
Alternatively, if you have a stethoscope, you can evaluate your resting heart rate with it.
Lift up or remove your shirt to expose the bare skin, place the earpieces in your ears, hold the stethoscope against your chest and listen in.
Count the number of beats per minute as you listen. , Once you have discovered your resting heart rate you need to find out where it is along the scale of healthy and unhealthy.
A normal resting heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).A rate of more than 90 is, however, considered high.If your heart rate is lower than 60 bpm and you also have the following symptoms —dizziness, shortness of breath and tunnel vision — then you should be evaluated by a doctor.
The resting heart rate of well trained endurance athletes can be between 40 and 60 bpm.They will not, however, experience the adverse symptoms, such as dizziness.
Test your rate over a few days to get an average. , A high resting heart rate isn't an immediate danger, but can lead to longer term health problems.
In these cases you should gradually lower your resting heart rate through exercise.But if you have a very low pulse, or frequent bouts of unexplained fast heart rates, particularly if these are coupled with dizziness, speak to a doctor.Generally if a high heart rate is combined with other symptoms you should visit a doctor.
Account for common causes such as caffeine intake, before you go to the doctors.Speak to your doctor if you are on any medications that might be affecting your heart rate, such as beta blockers. -
Step 3: Evaluate your resting heart rate.
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Step 4: Know when to see your doctor.
Detailed Guide
Before you start taking action to try to lower your resting heart rate, it's important to know what your starting point is.
To do this you just need to take your pulse and count the beats.
You can do this at the carotid artery (in the neck) or at the wrist.
Be sure that you are resting and relaxed before you start.
The best time to do it is before you get out of bed in the morning.
To take your pulse at the carotid artery, place your index and middle finger tips lightly on one side of your neck, to the side of your windpipe.
Press gently until you find the pulse.
To get the most accurate reading, count the number of beats in 60 seconds.Alternatively count the beats in 10 seconds and multiply by six, or 15 seconds and multiply by four.
To measure your pulse at the wrist, place one hand palm up.
With the other hand, place the tips of your index, middle and ring fingers below the base of your thumb until you feel the pulse.
Alternatively, if you have a stethoscope, you can evaluate your resting heart rate with it.
Lift up or remove your shirt to expose the bare skin, place the earpieces in your ears, hold the stethoscope against your chest and listen in.
Count the number of beats per minute as you listen. , Once you have discovered your resting heart rate you need to find out where it is along the scale of healthy and unhealthy.
A normal resting heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).A rate of more than 90 is, however, considered high.If your heart rate is lower than 60 bpm and you also have the following symptoms —dizziness, shortness of breath and tunnel vision — then you should be evaluated by a doctor.
The resting heart rate of well trained endurance athletes can be between 40 and 60 bpm.They will not, however, experience the adverse symptoms, such as dizziness.
Test your rate over a few days to get an average. , A high resting heart rate isn't an immediate danger, but can lead to longer term health problems.
In these cases you should gradually lower your resting heart rate through exercise.But if you have a very low pulse, or frequent bouts of unexplained fast heart rates, particularly if these are coupled with dizziness, speak to a doctor.Generally if a high heart rate is combined with other symptoms you should visit a doctor.
Account for common causes such as caffeine intake, before you go to the doctors.Speak to your doctor if you are on any medications that might be affecting your heart rate, such as beta blockers.
About the Author
Amanda Martin
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