You’re sitting on the couch, maybe scrolling through your phone or watching a show, and you feel that familiar little thud in your chest. You check your Apple Watch or your Fitbit. There it is: heart rate 85 at rest.
It’s a weird number. It isn’t "high" in the way a doctor usually defines a medical emergency, but it’s definitely not that athletic 55 or 60 bpm you hear people bragging about at the gym. Honestly, it feels like you’re stuck in a bit of a cardiac no-man’s land. You aren't running a marathon, but your heart is working harder than a resting person’s heart "should" work, right? Well, sort of.
The medical establishment generally tells us that a normal resting heart rate (RHR) is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute. By that logic, 85 is perfectly fine. It's safe. It's "green light" territory. But if you look at the more recent longitudinal studies—the kind that follow people for decades—the story gets a little more nuanced. It turns out that where you sit within that 60-100 range actually matters a whole lot for your long-term health.
The 60 to 100 Myth
Most of us grew up hearing the 60-100 rule. It’s the standard. But have you ever wondered where that came from? It’s basically a statistical average of the population, not necessarily an "optimal" range for health.
If your heart rate 85 at rest is your baseline, you’re technically within the normal limits, but you’re trending toward the higher end. Think of it like a car idling. A car that idles at 1,000 RPM is fine, but one that idles at 2,500 RPM is burning more fuel and wearing out the engine just a little bit faster every single minute it sits in the driveway.
A major study published in the journal Open Heart tracked middle-aged men for over a decade. The researchers found that those with a resting heart rate of 75 or higher were essentially at double the risk of death from any cause compared to those with a rate of 55 or lower. That’s a bit of a wake-up call. It suggests that while 85 isn't "tachycardia" (which starts at 100 bpm), it’s a signal that your cardiovascular system is under some degree of chronic stress.
Why Your Heart is Hitting 85 Right Now
Context is everything. You can't just look at a number in isolation and freak out. Your heart is the most reactive organ in your body. It responds to everything.
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Did you have a cup of coffee an hour ago? Caffeine is a classic culprit. It blocks adenosine receptors and spikes adrenaline. Even if you feel "fine," your heart might be humming along at 85 bpm because of that double espresso. Then there’s hydration. When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume actually drops. This makes your blood thicker and harder to pump. To compensate and keep your blood pressure stable, your heart has to beat faster.
Stress and anxiety are the big ones, though. You might think you’re resting because you’re sitting down, but if your brain is spinning about a work deadline or a fight you had with your partner, your sympathetic nervous system is flared up. You’re in "fight or flight" mode while sitting in a recliner.
The Hidden Impact of Sleep and Recovery
If you aren't sleeping well, your RHR will climb. Period.
Alcohol is another massive factor that people love to ignore. If you had a few drinks last night, your heart rate 85 at rest might stay elevated for the entire next day. Alcohol is a toxin that triggers a systemic inflammatory response and messes with your autonomic nervous system. It’s very common to see a 10-15 beat jump in RHR the morning after drinking.
And let’s talk about "deconditioning." It’s a polite medical term for being out of shape. If your heart muscle isn't strong, it has to beat more often to move the same amount of blood. A strong, athletic heart can push out a large volume of blood with a single, powerful squeeze (this is called stroke volume). A weaker heart has to do two or three little "pats" to get the same job done.
When 85 is Actually a Problem
Is 85 bpm dangerous? Usually, no. Not in the "call an ambulance" sense.
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However, if your heart rate used to be 65 and now it’s consistently 85, that’s a trend you need to pay attention to. Sudden shifts in resting heart rate are often more telling than the absolute number itself. A creeping RHR can be an early warning sign of:
- Thyroid issues: An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can send your pulse soaring.
- Anemia: Low iron means your blood can’t carry oxygen efficiently, so the heart pumps faster to keep the brain fueled.
- Early infection: Often, your RHR will spike 24-48 hours before you even feel the first sniffle of a cold or the flu.
- Chronic Inflammation: If your body is constantly fighting something internally, your heart rate will reflect that.
Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, often points out that while a "normal" range is broad, an individual's "normal" is usually quite narrow. If your personal "normal" has shifted from 70 to 85 over the last year, it’s worth asking why.
The Nuance of "Resting"
Are you actually at rest when you see that 85?
Most people check their pulse after walking across the room, sitting down, and immediately hitting the button on their blood pressure cuff or watch. That’s not a true resting heart rate. To get an accurate reading, you need to be still for at least five to ten minutes. No phone. No talking. No caffeine in the last hour.
Ideally, you should check it the second you wake up, before you even get out of bed. That is your true baseline. If it's 85 then, it’s a much more significant data point than if it’s 85 after you just finished a stressful Zoom call.
How to Pull That Number Down
The good news is that for most people, an RHR of 85 isn't a permanent sentence. You can change it. You should change it.
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The most effective way is through Zone 2 cardio. This is low-intensity, steady-state exercise—the kind where you can still hold a conversation but you're definitely working. Think of a brisk walk or a light jog. This type of training specifically strengthens the left ventricle of the heart, allowing it to hold more blood and pump more efficiently. Over months, this naturally lowers your heart rate because the heart becomes a better pump.
Practical Steps to Lower Your RHR
- Hydrate like it’s your job. Drink enough water so your urine is pale yellow. This keeps blood volume up and the heart's workload down.
- Magnesium supplementation. Many people are deficient in magnesium, which is crucial for electrical signaling in the heart. Always talk to a doctor first, but magnesium taurate or glycinate is often used to support a steady rhythm.
- Breathwork. This sounds "woo-woo," but it’s pure physiology. Long, slow exhales stimulate the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve tells your heart to slow down. Try the 4-7-8 technique for five minutes a day.
- Cut the booze. If you’re a daily drinker, try a dry week. Watch what happens to your RHR on your wearable device. The drop is usually dramatic.
- Prioritize 7+ hours of sleep. Your heart needs time to recover from the day's sympathetic load.
The Big Picture
Don't panic about a heart rate 85 at rest, but don't ignore it either. Use it as a piece of "body debt" information. It’s a gentle nudge that something—whether it’s your fitness, your stress levels, or your lifestyle habits—needs a little adjustment.
Monitoring your trends is far more valuable than obsessing over a single reading. If you’re feeling palpitations, dizziness, or shortness of breath alongside that 85 bpm, then yes, go see a doctor. Get an EKG. Rule out things like atrial fibrillation. But if you feel fine, take it as a signal to start walking more and stressing less.
Your heart is a muscle. It responds to the demands you place on it. If you give it the right environment—rest, hydration, and moderate exercise—it will settle into a more efficient rhythm.
Immediate Action Steps:
- Confirm the baseline: Measure your heart rate tomorrow morning before getting out of bed to see if it’s truly 85 or just a daytime spike.
- Track the triggers: For three days, note your heart rate alongside caffeine intake, sleep quality, and stress levels to find the "why."
- Build the pump: Incorporate 30 minutes of light, steady-state movement (like walking) five days a week to improve heart efficiency.
- Consult a professional: If the rate stays consistently above 80 despite lifestyle changes, or if you experience chest pain, schedule a check-up to screen for underlying conditions like anemia or thyroid dysfunction.