You're lying in bed. It’s quiet. You feel that steady thump-thump in your chest or maybe a slight pulse in your neck. Ever wonder if that rhythm is actually "good"? Most people just assume if they aren't clutching their chest, they’re fine. But honestly, your heart is a chatterbox if you know how to listen. If you've ever checked your Apple Watch or Garmin and wondered what is an excellent resting heart rate, you’ve probably seen the standard "60 to 100 beats per minute" range.
That range is huge. It's also kinda misleading.
A resting heart rate (RHR) of 95 bpm is technically "normal" according to many clinical charts, but is it excellent? Not really. In the medical world, "normal" often just means you aren't currently in a state of emergency. For those of us obsessed with longevity and actual fitness, we need to look at the data differently. Your heart is a muscle. Like any pump, the more efficient it is, the fewer strokes it needs to move blood. If your heart has to beat 100,000 times a day just to keep you alive while you’re sitting on the couch, it’s working way harder than it should.
The Gap Between "Normal" and "Excellent"
Let’s get specific. The American Heart Association notes that a normal RHR is between 60 and 100 bpm. However, a massive study published in the journal Heart tracked middle-aged men for decades and found something startling: those with a resting heart rate over 90 bpm had triple the risk of death compared to those in the lower brackets.
So, what is an excellent resting heart rate?
For most healthy adults, an excellent resting heart rate sits between 50 and 60 beats per minute. If you’re an endurance athlete—think marathoners or pro cyclists—you might see numbers in the 30s or 40s. That’s elite. But for the average person who hits the gym a few times a week and watches their diet, hitting that 50-60 range is the "Goldilocks" zone. It signals a strong heart muscle and a nervous system that isn't stuck in "fight or flight" mode.
It’s about efficiency.
Think of a high-performance engine. It idles low. A beat-up, old truck might rattle and shake at a high idle just to stay running. Your heart is the same. When you're fit, your stroke volume—the amount of blood pumped per beat—increases. Your body doesn't need 80 beats to get the job done when 55 will do.
✨ Don't miss: Fruits that are good to lose weight: What you’re actually missing
Why Your Morning Coffee Ruins the Data
You can't just check your watch at 2:00 PM after a double espresso and a stressful meeting. That isn't your resting heart rate. That’s your "stressed and caffeinated" heart rate.
To find your true number, you have to do it right. The best time is the literal moment you wake up, before you even sit up to reach for your phone. Don't check it after you've argued with your spouse or realized you're late for work. Keep a tracker on overnight or keep a manual pulse watch by the bed. Use two fingers on your radial artery (the wrist). Count for 60 seconds. Do this for three mornings in a row and take the average.
The Athlete Paradox: When Low is Too Low
There’s a condition called bradycardia. Usually, this is defined as a heart rate under 60 bpm. If you’re a couch potato and your heart rate is 42, that’s actually not "excellent"—it might be a problem. This is where nuance matters.
Medical professionals like Dr. Martha Gulati, a prominent cardiologist, often point out that a low heart rate is only good if it’s supported by aerobic capacity. If your heart rate is low but you feel dizzy, faint, or constantly fatigued, your heart might not be pumping enough oxygenated blood. This is common in certain electrical issues of the heart or as a side effect of medications like beta-blockers.
However, if you can run a 5K without dying and your RHR is 48, you’re likely just in great cardiovascular shape. Your heart has physiologically changed. The left ventricle actually gets larger and stronger in athletes, allowing it to push more blood with every single contraction.
Age, Gender, and the Moving Goalposts
Women generally have slightly higher resting heart rates than men. This isn't because they’re less fit; it’s mostly because women typically have smaller hearts, which necessitates a slightly faster rhythm to move the same relative volume of blood.
Then there’s age. You’d think RHR would go up as we get older and less active, but it actually tends to decrease slightly or stay stable, while our maximum heart rate drops significantly. This is why the 220-minus-age formula exists for exercise, though it’s honestly a bit outdated and imprecise for many.
🔗 Read more: Resistance Bands Workout: Why Your Gym Memberships Are Feeling Extra Expensive Lately
- Athletes: 40–50 bpm
- Highly Fit Individuals: 50–60 bpm
- Average Healthy Adult: 60–72 bpm
- Sedentary / Stressed: 75–90+ bpm
If you're consistently hovering in the 80s while sitting still, your body is telling you it's under stress. This could be lack of sleep, chronic dehydration, or just a lack of "Zone 2" cardio.
Factors That "Fake" a High Heart Rate
Sometimes your RHR isn't high because your heart is weak. Sometimes it's because you’re mistreating it in the short term. Dehydration is a huge one. When you're low on fluids, your blood volume drops. To keep your blood pressure stable, your heart has to spin the wheels faster.
Alcohol is another culprit. If you have two glasses of wine at 9:00 PM, your resting heart rate will likely stay 10–15 beats higher all night long. Your heart is working overtime to process the toxins and deal with the rebound of the nervous system. You aren't actually "resting" while you sleep after drinking.
Stress and anxiety also play a massive role. The vagus nerve is the "brake pedal" for your heart. When you’re stressed, that brake is released, and your sympathetic nervous system takes over. Deep breathing exercises—specifically exhaling longer than you inhale—can actually stimulate the vagus nerve and drop your heart rate almost instantly.
How to Actually Improve Your Numbers
If you’ve realized your heart rate is more "meh" than "excellent," don't panic. You can change this number. It’s one of the most responsive biomarkers we have.
Interval Training vs. Steady State
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is great for burning calories, but if you want an excellent resting heart rate, you need "Zone 2" training. This is steady, boring cardio. Think of a jog where you can still hold a conversation without gasping. Doing this for 30–45 minutes three times a week strengthens the heart’s walls and increases its efficiency better than almost anything else.
Sleep Hygiene
Your heart needs a break. During deep sleep, your blood pressure drops and your heart rate slows to its absolute minimum. If you’re only getting five hours of fragmented sleep, your heart never gets that recovery window. Over time, this keeps your baseline RHR elevated during the day.
💡 You might also like: Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set: Why These Specific Weights Are Still Topping the Charts
The Mineral Connection
Magnesium and potassium are the electrolytes that govern electrical signals in the heart. Many people are chronically low in magnesium. Adding a high-quality supplement or eating more leafy greens can sometimes see a drop in RHR within weeks because the heart's "electrical grid" is simply firing more smoothly.
The Hidden Danger of the "Silent" High RHR
We talk about blood pressure all the time, but RHR is just as predictive of health outcomes. Research from the Copenhagen Male Study found that for every 10–22 bpm increase in resting heart rate, the risk of death increased by 16%.
It’s a silent metric. You don't "feel" a resting heart rate of 85 versus 65. But the cumulative wear and tear on your arteries is real. Every extra beat is a tiny pulse of pressure against your vessel walls. Over 20 years, that’s millions of extra pulses.
When to See a Doctor
If your RHR is consistently above 100 (tachycardia) or below 45 (if you aren't an athlete), it’s time for an EKG. Also, watch for irregularities. If your pulse feels like a "flopping fish" or skips beats frequently, that could be Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). While smartwatches are getting better at detecting this, they aren't a substitute for a clinical 12-lead EKG.
Actionable Steps for a Better Heart Rate
Knowing what is an excellent resting heart rate is only half the battle. You have to move the needle. Here is how you actually do it:
- Audit your sleep for 7 days. Use a tracker to see your lowest point during the night. If it doesn't dip below 60, you're likely not recovering.
- Add 150 minutes of Zone 2 cardio per week. This is the scientific "sweet spot" for remodeling the heart muscle.
- Watch the "Nightcap." Skip alcohol for four nights and watch your morning RHR. The difference is usually shocking.
- Hydrate with electrolytes. Plain water isn't always enough. Your heart needs sodium, potassium, and magnesium to maintain its electrical rhythm.
- Test, don't guess. Check your RHR every Monday morning. Keep a log. If it starts creeping up, it’s often the first sign you're getting sick or overtraining before you even feel symptoms.
By focusing on these small shifts, you can move from a "normal" heart rate to an "excellent" one. It’s not about being a pro athlete; it’s about giving your heart the ability to do its job with the least amount of effort possible. Your future self will thank you for the extra beats you saved.