The connection between resting heart rate and physical health
Healthy range for typical adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute
IN THE NEWS: For the typical adult, a healthy resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
The lower on the scale, the better, since it’s a sign of a healthy ticker, says UCI Health cardiologist Dr. Brian Becerra tells Everyday Health. Professional athletes can have a resting heart rate of 40 bpm.
“The stronger [the heart] is, the lower the heart rate needs to be in order to achieve the same amount of blood flow.”
When exercising, Becerra suggests tracking your heart rate to monitor intensity. Most people should exercise between 50% and 85% of their maximum, which can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220.
“If you start to feel dizzy or exhausted at a lower number, then you probably have a lower MHR than what is predicted [by the calculation].”
Conversely, if you feel that you can do more when at the top of your maximum, speak to your physician about raising the number.
Becerra believes in a team approach, collaborating with his patients to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is individualized to their specific circumstances.
Becerra is a board-certified UCI Health cardiologist who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart disease. His clinical interests include non-invasive cardiovascular imaging and cardiac disease prevention. He also focuses on sports- and exercise-related cardiovascular care. He is also an assistant professor in the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
As a non-invasive cardiologist with expertise in sports cardiology, he is invested in the unique care of athletic heart disease. He helps to treat all patients, from recreational to elite athletes who are in need of care.
Make an appointment at UCI Health Cardiology Services by calling 714-880-7812.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.