Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. This can be used as a general indicator of overall health. It is particularly important for a woman to be aware of her heart rate, because heart rate can be an indicator of a predisposition to heart disease.
Normal Heart Rate
The normal heart rate range for an adult while resting is 60 to 100 beats in a minute. A well-trained athlete may have a lower resting heart rate, between 40 to 60 beats per minute. Normal resting heart rate ranges are the same for both men and women.
Measuring Heart Rate
To measure your heart rate, place two fingers on your opposite wrist, just below the fat pad at the base of your thumb. You should feel a throbbing or beating. Over 30 seconds, count the number of beats that you feel. Multiply this number by 2 and you have your heart rate. To find your baseline, or resting, heart rate, take your heart-rate measurement in the morning, right after you wake.
Factors That Influence Heart Rate
There are a number of factors that can influence your heart rate. These factors included your activity level, fitness level, if you are standing or sitting, emotions such as anxiety or fear, body size and medications.
Women's Heart Rate
According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, heart disease is the number-one cause of death in women in the United States in 2010. Resting heart rate can be used as an indicator of risk for a cardiac event for middle-age women. Middle-aged women with a resting heart rate of higher than 76 beats per minute were more likely to have a heart attack than women with a resting heart rate lower than 76, the hospital reports.
Considerations
If your resting heart rate is consistently high or on the higher end of normal, see your doctor. You can lower your resting heart rate through exercise and reducing stress, Brigham and Women's Hospital advises. Your physician will be able to guide you through these modifications, as well as monitor your heart rate as you implement changes.
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