What is your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) telling you?
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When we think about fitness, we often focus on external factors like weight, physique, muscle definition, stamina, etc. We use smartwatches and fitness trackers packed with features that give us real-time data about our health. And yet, with so many metrics at our fingertips, we only focus on a few we know while overlooking some of the most important ones. One such feature is the Resting Heart Rate (RHR)—a key indicator offering in-depth insights into your cardiovascular health and overall wellness.
But what exactly does this number mean? Why should you care?
Well, let's break down the importance of knowing resting heart rate, understand what is it telling you, and how you can improve it for long-term health.
What is Heart Rate?
Heart Rate refers to the number of times your heart beats per minute i.e. BPM. It is a vital indicator of how efficiently your heart pumps blood throughout your body whether you are relaxing, exercising, or sleeping.
Heart rate can fluctuate depending on the activity you are doing, the thoughts you are thinking, the food you are eating and so much more. For example – during exercise, your heart rate rises to meet the oxygen demand of your muscles and slows down as you rest. As your heart is constantly working to keep your body supplied with oxygen and nutrients, the beats per minute become essential to understand how efficiently your heart is pumping blood because it signifies your body’s fitness quotient.
What is Resting Heart Rate (RHR)?
Your Resting Heart Rate is the number of heartbeats per minute when you’re at rest – mostly when you are sleeping or have been still for at least 10 minutes. This is the baseline indicator of your cardiovascular health and fitness levels. The lower your RHR, the more efficiently your heart is working and the healthier it tends to be.
Normally, an average person’s resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute and this number can be influenced by a variety of factors. Athletes or sports professionals usually have RHRs as low as 40-50 BPM due to their highly efficient cardiovascular system. In general, lower RHR indicates better cardiovascular health as the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood.
If your RHR is consistently above 100 BPM or becomes 60 BPM and you are not an athlete, it could be a sign of an underlying issue like heart disease, anemia, thyroid dysfunction, etc.
What is Heart Rate Variability (HRV)?
Heart Rate Variability or HRV measures variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. Having more variability in your heart rate is a good thing because it shows that your autonomic nervous system responsible for controlling involuntary functions like breathing and heart rate, is responding well to stress and relaxation.
Heart Rate Variability is a key indicator of how well your body can handle stress, recover from workouts, and sometimes even predict how likely you are to fall sick. High HRV usually means that your heart can quickly adjust to changing circumstances like stress or exercise, while low HRV indicates that your heart might be under strain. Monitoring your HRV can help you track your fitness recovery, stress levels, and overall health.
Why should you care about Resting Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability?
Both resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate variability (RHV) offer key insights into your cardiovascular health.
A low RHR usually suggests a strong and efficient heart, while a high RHR can indicate that your body is under stress or highlight an underlying health concern like heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions.
A low HRV indicates a low response to stress, whether over-exercising or emotional and a high HRV shows that your body is resilient and well prepared to handle stress.
Together these metrics can provide a complete picture of your heart health and overall wellness.
Tips to Improve Your Resting Heart Rate
While your smartwatch can highlight the metrics of resting heart rate and keep you aware of your heart health. There are ways in which you can improve your resting heart rate.
Engage in regular cardio: Cardiovascular exercises like walking, running, cycling, swimming, etc strengthen your heart, making it more efficient in pumping blood. Over time regular cardio can lower your resting heart rate. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Relax your muscles: Stress can significantly impact your RHR and HRV. Simple practices like meditating, chanting, deep breathing, and yoga can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system and help reduce stress. As a result, lower your RHR too.
Sleep enough: During sleep, your body recharges and heals itself. Good quality sleep of at least 7-9 hours daily can help improve sleep patterns and lower RHR.
Stay hydrated: Dehydration makes the heart work harder which increases your resting heart rate. Make sure you drink enough water throughout the day, especially after workouts.
Eat a healthy diet: Eating the right food is important to fuel the body right and nourish it for better functioning. Follow a diet that consists of nutritionally balanced meals to support your heart health and overall health and wellness. Avoid excessive sodium, processed foods, or sugary drinks that can negatively impact your heart.
Your resting heart rate and heart rate variability can be key indicators of your heart health and your body’s overall resilience to stress. Paying attention to these numbers can help you build a lifestyle that can significantly improve your long-term health and empower you to make choices that support a healthier heart and a long active life!