According to MedicineNet.com, your heart rate is "the number of heart beats per unit time, usually per minute." It is a count of how many times your heart contracts or squeezes. According to Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Edward Laskowski, a normal resting heart rate is somewhere between 60 to 100 beats per minute.
Background
Your heart delivers oxygenated blood to your whole body when it contracts. If your body needs more oxygen due to an increased activity rate, excitement or exercise, your heart will beat more frequently in order to send out more oxygenated blood to meet those needs. If you are at rest, your body usually consumes less oxygen, thus requiring fewer beats per minute to meet your body's oxygen needs.
Factors Affecting Heart Rate
Your heart rate should increase with increased activity and decrease with rest, although some medications may affect your heart rate. You may notice that your heart rate changes when your body changes position. Heart rate will usually also respond to changes in body chemistry and emotion. For example, you may notice your heart rate increasing suddenly if you receive good news or are startled. Your level of fitness will also affect your heart rate.
Heart/Cardiac Efficiency
Your heart rate is an indicator of your cardiac efficiency. A highly trained athlete will typically have a resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute, notes Laskowski. The heart becomes more efficient with exercise over time and thus does not need to beat as many times per minute to meet the oxygen needs of the body.
Measuring Your Resting Heart Rate
You can measure your resting heart rate by counting how many time your heart beats per minute. The American Heart Association recommends taking your resting heart rate in the morning, just after a good night's sleep. This will give you the most accurate resting heart rate. Laskowski recommends taking your pulse at your wrist or your neck, "to the side of your windpipe." Count the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds, then multiply that number by four to figure out how many times your heart beats in one minute.
Cautions
Heart rate can be an indicator of underlying problems. If your heart is beating too slowly, this is called bradycardia. If it is beating too many times per minute, it is called tachycardia. As noted, if you are highly fit, your resting heart rate may fall below the average resting heart rate. Communicate with your doctor to formally measure and evaluate your heart rate and determine whether it is normal for you and your individual situation.
