Your pulse rate is an important factor in determining the strength of your heart. A healthy resting pulse indicates more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness, according to MayoClinic.com. An abnormal pulse could indicate an underlying issue. Monitoring your resting pulse rate can be helpful for knowing when or if there may be a problem.
Identification
Your pulse is your heart rate, which is the number of times your heart beats per minute. It measures how hard your heart is working, according to the National Emergency Medicine Association. The pulse is the expansion and contraction of an artery as blood is forced through it. You can feel your pulse on your wrist, neck, groin and top of a foot, because those are locations where the artery is close to the skin.
Variables
A normal, healthy resting pulse is between 60 to 90 beats per minute, but it may depend on your sex and ethnicity. Stress can play a role as well, in changing your resting heart rate. According to a 1992 review of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, women were found to have a slightly higher resting pulse than men, but age was not a factor. A slightly higher pulse was found in whites as compared to blacks in women and men ages 25 to 44. Smokers had higher heart beats per minute than nonsmokers. Fall and winter caused higher pulse rates, as did afternoon and evening.
Measuring
Taking your pulse only requires something to count the seconds. Place your index and middle fingers on your wrist, about 1 inch below the base of your hand. Press your fingers between the middle tendons and the outside bone. The throbbing you feel is your pulse. Count the number of beats in 10 seconds, and multiply this number by six to obtain your pulse rate. If you do this after 10 minutes of inactivity, this is your resting pulse rate.
Considerations
A pulse rate that is too high -- consistently above 90 -- is considered to be tachycardia. A pulse rate below 60 is bradycardia; it may cause weakness, loss of energy and fainting. However, athletes can have pulse rates ranging from 40 to 60 beats per minute, depending on their fitness level. Occasionally, your pulse may be irregular, but if it happens on a regular basis, consult your doctor.
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