You’re sitting on the couch, scrolling through your phone, and you feel that little thud-thud in your chest. Maybe you glance at your Apple Watch or Oura ring and see a number staring back at you. 62. 75. 48. Suddenly, you’re spiraling. You start wondering if you're a peak athlete or if your heart is actually struggling to keep up with your Tuesday night Netflix binge. Honestly, the question of what is best resting heart rate isn't as straightforward as a single digit on a screen.
Most people think "lower is better," and while that’s kinda true, it’s not the whole story. Your heart is a muscle, sure, but it’s also a deeply sensitive instrument that reacts to everything from that third cup of coffee to the fact that you didn't sleep well because the neighbor's dog wouldn't stop barking at 3:00 AM.
The "Normal" Range vs. The "Optimal" Number
If you ask the American Heart Association (AHA), they’ll tell you that a normal resting heart rate (RHR) for adults is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). That’s a massive window. It’s like saying a "normal" height for a human is between five feet and seven feet. Technically true, but not exactly helpful when you're trying to figure out if your specific ticker is doing okay.
A lot of cardiologists, like those at the Cleveland Clinic, actually prefer to see patients in the 50 to 70 bpm range. Why? Because a heart that beats 100 times a minute while you’re just chilling is working way harder than it needs to. Think of it like a car engine idling at a red light. If your engine is screaming at 4,000 RPMs while you’re just sitting there, something is eventually going to wear out.
When 60 is actually "too high"
It sounds weird, right? But if you’re a marathon runner and your RHR jumps from 42 to 60 overnight, that’s a massive red flag. It usually means you’re overtraining, getting sick, or dealing with some serious systemic inflammation. Context is everything. For a sedentary office worker, 60 is a dream. For an elite cyclist, 60 might mean they need a week off.
The Science of the Squeeze
When we talk about what is best resting heart rate, we’re really talking about stroke volume. This is the amount of blood your left ventricle pumps out with every single contraction.
Athletes have "big" hearts—literally. This is a condition called physiological cardiomegaly (Athlete's Heart). Because their heart muscle is so thick and efficient, it can push out a huge volume of blood in one go. Because it’s pushing so much blood, it doesn't need to beat as often to keep the lights on. That’s why you hear about guys like Miguel Induráin, a five-time Tour de France winner, who reportedly had a resting heart rate of 28 bpm.
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28!
If a regular person walked into an ER with a heart rate of 28, the doctors would be reaching for the paddles. But for Induráin, it was just peak efficiency.
What Actually Moves the Needle?
It’s not just about how much you cardio you do. Honestly, your RHR is a giant bucket that everything in your life gets dumped into.
- Dehydration: This is a sneaky one. When you're dehydrated, your blood volume drops. Your blood gets thicker, almost like syrup. To move that thicker sludge around, your heart has to beat faster. If you see your RHR jump up 5-10 beats, go drink a glass of water and check again in an hour.
- Stress and the Vagus Nerve: Your nervous system has two modes: "Fight or Flight" (Sympathetic) and "Rest and Digest" (Parasympathetic). Your vagus nerve acts like a brake pedal for your heart. If you're constantly stressed about work, your foot is off the brake. Your RHR will climb because your body thinks it needs to be ready to run from a tiger, even if you’re just reading an annoying email.
- Temperature: Heat makes your heart work harder to cool you down. Cold can sometimes lower it, or raise it if you’re shivering.
- The "Alcohol Tax": This is the most consistent RHR killer. If you have two or three drinks at night, your resting heart rate will almost certainly be 10-15% higher while you sleep. Alcohol prevents you from hitting deep, restorative sleep states where your heart rate normally bottoms out.
Age and Gender: The Unfair Variables
Biology isn't always fair. Generally speaking, women tend to have slightly smaller hearts than men. Because the "pump" is smaller, it has to beat a bit faster to move the same amount of oxygenated blood. It’s usually a difference of about 3 to 5 beats per minute, which isn't huge, but it's there.
Then there’s aging.
As we get older, our maximum heart rate drops. It’s just physics; the electrical conduction system in the heart starts to slow down. Interestingly, your resting heart rate doesn't necessarily have to climb as you age if you stay active. In fact, many older adults find their RHR stays pretty stable, even if they can’t hit those 190 bpm peaks at the gym anymore.
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When Should You Actually Worry?
We’ve talked about the "best" numbers, but what about the scary ones?
There are two main clinical terms you should know: Tachycardia and Bradycardia.
Tachycardia is when your resting heart rate is consistently over 100 bpm. If you’re just sitting there and your heart is racing, that’s a problem. It could be anxiety, sure, but it could also be an iron deficiency (anemia), a thyroid issue (hyperthyroidism), or an electrical glitch in the heart like SVT.
Bradycardia is when it’s under 60 bpm. Now, as we discussed, if you’re fit, this is a badge of honor. But if you’re not an athlete and your heart rate is 45, and you’re feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or like you’re about to faint? That’s not "fitness." That’s your heart not providing enough juice to your brain.
The Mystery of the Ectopic Beat
Sometimes, it’s not the speed; it’s the rhythm. You might feel a "skip" or a "flip-flop" in your chest. These are often PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions). Most of the time, they’re harmless and triggered by caffeine or stress. But if they happen constantly, they can mess with your "true" resting heart rate reading because your fitness tracker might get confused by the irregular pulse.
How to Get an Accurate Reading
Don't trust a single reading in the middle of a stressful workday. To find your true RHR, you need to be a bit more scientific.
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- The Morning Rule: Check your pulse the second you wake up, before you even get out of bed. Don't check it after you've checked your email or scrolled through TikTok. Just wake up, stay still, and feel your pulse.
- The Two-Finger Method: If you don't have a wearable, use your index and middle fingers on your radial artery (the thumb side of your wrist). Count for 60 seconds. Don't do the "count for 15 and multiply by 4" thing—it’s less accurate if your heart rate is irregular.
- Averaging: Do this for three days in a row. Add those numbers up and divide by three. That is your baseline.
Improving Your Number (Without Going Crazy)
If you’ve decided your RHR is too high, don't go out and try to run a marathon tomorrow. That’ll just spike your cortisol and probably make it worse in the short term.
Instead, focus on Zone 2 cardio. This is the "sweet spot" for heart health. It’s exercise where you can still hold a conversation without gasping for air. Think of it as a brisk walk or a light jog. Doing this for 150 minutes a week strengthens the heart muscle and increases stroke volume more effectively for most people than high-intensity sprinting.
Also, look at your sleep hygiene. If you’re only getting six hours of crappy sleep, your heart never gets the chance to truly "idle." Magnesium supplements (specifically Magnesium Glycinate) have also been shown in some studies to help support a healthy heart rhythm and nervous system, though you should obviously talk to your doctor before popping pills.
The Bottom Line on What Is Best Resting Heart Rate
Ultimately, the "best" number is the one that is healthy for you. If you’re consistently between 50 and 70, you’re likely in a great spot. If you’re in the 70s or 80s, you’ve got some room for improvement, but you’re not in any immediate danger.
The goal isn't to have the lowest heart rate in the world. It's to have a heart that is resilient, adaptable, and capable of handling whatever life throws at it. A low RHR is just a side effect of a body that is well-recovered and physically capable.
Actionable Steps to Optimize Your Resting Heart Rate:
- Audit your caffeine intake: If your RHR is consistently high, try cutting off the caffeine by noon. The half-life of caffeine is longer than most people think, and it can keep your heart "simmering" long into the night.
- Test your hydration: For the next 48 hours, drink 2-3 liters of water a day and see if your RHR drops. It’s the easiest "fix" in the book.
- Incorporate "The Big Exhale": Practice box breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) for five minutes before bed. This stimulates the vagus nerve and can help lower your sleeping RHR.
- Track trends, not moments: Stop obsessing over a single high reading. Use an app to look at your weekly or monthly averages. That’s where the real story lives.
- Check your iron and thyroid: If you're doing everything right—sleeping well, exercising, eating clean—and your RHR is still consistently over 85, it’s worth getting a simple blood panel. Your heart might be working overtime to compensate for a chemical imbalance.
Your heart is doing a lot of work for you. Every single day. About 100,000 times a day, actually. Give it the rest it deserves, and it'll probably return the favor by giving you a few more years of thumping.