How your resting heart rate could flag a looming cardiac event – and how to check it

If your resting heart rate is abnormally high or low, it could signal risks that need the attention of a doctor, say heart experts

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Your heart rate should be 50 per cent to 85 per cent of your maximum during moderate physical activity. Your resting heart rate should be significantly lower, but not too low.
Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:15pm, 2 Feb 2025

From Apple Watches to Fitbits to treadmills, there are more ways than ever for people to keep up with their vitals.

So why does so much fitness tech check your pulse? Because your resting heart rate can say a significant amount about your health, including when it might be time to seek immediate medical care.

What is a healthy resting heart rate?

According to Harvard Medical School, a normal resting heart rate is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, for most healthy adults it actually falls between 55 and 85 beats per minute (bpm), it reported.

An individual’s expected heart rate also changes as they age. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), a 35-year-old should have a heart rate of about 93 to 157bpm during moderate intensity activity – 24 per cent faster than someone twice their age.

A person’s heart rate should be 50 per cent to 85 per cent of their maximum heart rate during moderate activity, according to AHA, and the maximum rate should be about 220 minus your age.

A person’s heart rate can rise briefly because of stress or from physical exertion. If it remains high long after a workout, they may need medical attention. Photo: Shutterstock

Having a heart rate on the lower or higher end of the healthy 60-100 spectrum is not necessarily a sign something is wrong, but an especially low or fast heart rate could be a symptom of something demanding immediate medical attention.