Pulse rates vary from individual to individual depending on factors such as fitness. Your pulse, simply put, is the number times your heart beats in one minute. It will go up during exercise and come down when you are resting. Knowing your pulse rate is important. A variation in your pulse rate can signal a health condition.
Significance
A pulse rate can be useful for determining your fitness level and your overall health. A quick pulse rate may indicate that you are dehydrated. If your resting heart rate is usually above 100 beats per minute, this is called tachycardia, and it can indicate a health problem. A bounding or strong and forceful pulse can come along with a rapid pulse rate, or can occur separately. A bounding pulse can indicate that there is a fluid overload in the circulation, or it can occur with high blood pressure. You should seek medical attention if you have a pulse rate increase that's persistent, sudden or severe, advises the National Institutes of Health.
Warning
When a person has an unusually slow heart rate--below 60 beats per minute--and it's not due to a high fitness level, this is called bradycardia. This becomes a problem if the heart doesn't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to a person's body, advises the Mayo Clinic. People who have this condition may also feel faint, dizzy, weak confused or short of breath. People with bradycardia sometimes need pacemakers.
Time Frame
A normal pulse rate varies depending on a person's age. The normal range for children older than 10 and adults of all ages is 60 to 100 beats per minute. Athletes have a normal range of 40 to 60 beats per minute. Kids ages 1 to 10 have a regular rate of 70 to 120 beats in a minute. Infants have the fastest normal pulse rates, at 100 to 160 beats per minute, according to the NIH.
Types
A heart rate that's rapid can occur in normal, healthy people under certain conditions. These include high anxiety, fever, pregnancy and heavy exercise. Your estimated maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age, advises the Cleveland Clinic. That means a person who is age 40 should not raise his pulse, or heart rate, above 180 beats per minute during exercise. Most exercise programs advise staying below 85 percent of this maximum and maintaining a heart rate of 60 to 80 percent of your maximum to gain cardiovascular benefits.
Function
The pulse may be measured at several points on the body where an artery is close to the skin. These include the wrist, back of the knees, neck, temple, groin and the top or inner side of a person's foot. When you find the pulse, count your beats for one minute. You also can count beats for 30 seconds and then multiply by two or count beats for 10 seconds and multiply by six to get your beats per minute. A person needs to rest for a minimum of 10 minutes before measuring a resting heart rate. The heart rate for exercising may be taken during the activity.
