Your pulse, or your heart rate, is how many times your heart beats per minute. Your pulse tends to be lower when you are resting, and it increases as your heart works to meet your body's extra demands during physical activity. Knowing your healthy pulse range will help you evaluate and tweak your exercise program and aid you in assessing your overall health.
Your Resting Heart Rate
Your resting pulse rate, or your heart rate when you're not physically active, changes with age and physical fitness. Most children between 6 and 15 have a resting heart rate of 70 to 100 beats per minute, and adults 18 and over tend to have a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Lower resting pulse rates generally indicate more efficient heart function, so you may have a resting pulse rate of about 40 beats per minute if you are a well-trained athlete.
Other Influencing Factors
Factors besides age, fitness and activity level can affect your heart rate. Emotions, body size, temperature and body position can all influence your heart rate. You may find, for example, that your heart rate is faster when you're standing in hot weather than when you're sitting on your couch in cold temperatures. Additionally, you may take a medication that causes alterations in your typical heart rate.
Your Pulse During Exercise
Your maximum heart rate is the highest heart rate you can achieve with the highest level of physical activity. You can calculate your predicted maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. If you're 50 years old, your predicted maximum heart rate would be 170 beats per minute. Your target heart rate is the heart rate you should strive to achieve as you exercise. Moderate physical activity would call for a target heart rate of 50 percent to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, or 85 to 119 beats per minute, if you're 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vigorous physical activity would call for you to reach 70 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, or 119 to about 145 beats per minute.
Warning
Don't exercise above 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Exercising at a higher intensity doesn't benefit you more significantly than exercising within your target heart rate, but it does increase your orthopedic and cardiovascular risk, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Don't feel the need to jump right into your target heart rate zone if you are new to exercising regularly. Gradually build up your stamina, but slow down if you ever feel overburdened. Signs of exercising too hard include blurred vision and faintness.
When to Seek Help
Your normal and healthy heart range is broad, but too high or too low could point to a problem. Consult your doctor if your resting heart rate is consistently higher than 100 beats per minute or under 60 beats per minute, the Mayo Clinic recommends. Mention at your appointment whether you have also been experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath or dizziness.
