What Is the Ideal Time to Measure Heart Rate?

Resting heart rate is a numerical value and a key indicator of heart health, according to the British newspaper The Times.

It also reflects cardiovascular fitness and a person’s ability to run, row, or swim without feeling excessively fatigued.

Devices like the Apple Watch and other similar technologies have enabled the measurement of various factors, including sleep quality and heart rate. However, the most crucial factor, according to the newspaper, is resting heart rate.

Olli Wigelin, a fitness expert and director of the Sustain Performance center, explains:
“The fitter you are, the more efficient your heart becomes. Blood oxygenation improves, and heart rate per minute decreases, as your heart works less to pump blood throughout your body.”

For healthy adults, the average resting heart rate ranges between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

For athletes, this rate can drop to as low as 30 beats per minute. However, during exercise, the heart rate increases to an “active” rate, ranging from 120 to 150 beats per minute, which is normal during intense activities such as running or weightlifting.

How to Measure Heart Rate

There’s no need to use expensive smartwatches to measure your pulse. Simply place your index and middle fingers on your wrist, count the number of beats in one minute, and calculate the average by doing this regularly throughout the week.

Lisa Arthurs, a physiotherapist at the Until health center, states:
“The best way to measure resting heart rate is to track it over time.”

She adds that a low resting heart rate is a “good indicator that you are engaging in healthy behaviors,” according to the British newspaper.

Wigelin recommends regular exercise such as cycling or weightlifting, alongside reducing alcohol consumption and managing stress.

A comprehensive review published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that endurance training has the greatest impact on lowering resting heart rate.