Your heart rate is measured by the number of times your heart beats in one minute. A normal heart rate changes slightly throughout your life. Children, adolescents and younger adults have higher resting heart rates than older adults and elderly people. Your heart rate slows down as you age due to natural changes in your heart. Talk with your doctor if you're concerned about your heart rate.
Identification
Like adults, adolescents and teenagers aged 11 to 17 years old have a normal resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute, but younger children have a slightly higher heart rate, says the University of Michigan Health System. Infants aged 1 year old and younger have a resting heart rate of 100 to 160 beats per minute, and children aged 1 to 10 years old have a heart rate of 60 to 140 beats per minute. Your heart rate can give some indications as to your overall cardiovascular health, MayoClinic.com notes.
Calculations
To measure your heart rate, you can feel for your pulse at the side of your neck and count the number of heartbeats you feel over the course of 10 seconds, MayoClinic.com says. Multiply the number of beats by six; the result is your heart rate in one minute. To get an even more accurate heart rate, you can count the number of beats over the course of 30 seconds and multiply by two, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Compare your heartbeat number to the recommended resting heart rates for your age group.
Significance
For most adults, a resting heart rate is normally 60 to 100 beats per minute, MayoClinic.com says. Your age and fitness level can influence your heart rate greatly, however. As you get older, your heart rate will begin to slow down because the heart becomes less efficient when it pumps, explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Also, the walls of your heart become thicker as you age. This slower heart rate applies to when you're exercising and when you're resting. Another important factor is your target heart rate, meaning your heart rate during exercise, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Generally, your target heart rate decreases as you age.
Considerations
Aside from your age, many different factors can affect your heart rate. These include your level of physical fitness, your weight and body size, the medications you take, whether you're lying down or standing, the air temperature and your present emotional state, MayoClinic.com says. If you're extremely physically fit, your resting heart rate could be as low as 40 to 60 beats per minute, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Depending on your age, a slower heart rate may indicate better heart function and cardiovascular health.
Warning
Your heart rate could indicate a potential problem with your heart. See your doctor if your resting heart rate is always lower than 60 beats per minute, which could indicate bradycardia, MayoClinic.com warns. If your heart rate at-rest is always more than 100 beats per minute, this could indicate tachycardia. If your heart-rate measurements are abnormal and you're also experiencing dizziness or shortness of breath, see your doctor right away. A fast heart rate can indicate anemia, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, fever, heart disease, hyperthyroidism or excessive caffeine, amphetamine, diet pill or tobacco use, says the University of Michigan Health System. A very slow heart rate can also indicate heart disease, as well as hypothyroidism. If your pulse is weak, you could have cardiovascular disease, heart failure, heart disease or blood clots.
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