How to Check Your Heart Rate
How to measure your pulse manually and what the numbers mean. A 15-second check that tells you a lot about your cardiovascular health.
Your heart rate is one of the simplest health metrics to check and one of the most informative. All you need is two fingers and basic multiplication.
Your resting heart rate reveals a surprising amount about your cardiovascular fitness. Athletes and very fit people typically have lower resting rates because their hearts pump more blood per beat. A resting rate that gradually decreases over months indicates improving fitness. One that suddenly increases might signal illness, dehydration, or overtraining.
We check ours a few times a week now. It takes 15 seconds and provides a quick snapshot of recovery, fitness progress, and overall health.
Find your radial pulse (wrist)
Turn one hand palm-up. Place the index and middle fingers of your other hand on the inside of your wrist, on the thumb side, just below the base of your thumb. You are feeling for the radial artery, which runs along the outer edge of your wrist. Press gently until you feel a rhythmic tapping against your fingertips. If you cannot find it, try moving your fingers slightly toward the center of your wrist or pressing a little harder. It helps to relax the hand you are checking.
Good to know: Never use your thumb to check your pulse. Your thumb has its own pulse (from the princeps pollicis artery) and it will confuse your count. Always use your index and middle fingers together.
Try the carotid pulse as an alternative (neck)
If you have trouble finding your wrist pulse, the carotid artery in your neck is usually easier to locate. Place two fingers on the side of your neck, in the soft groove between your windpipe and the large muscle that runs from behind your ear to your collarbone. Press gently. You should feel a strong beat. Only check one side at a time. Never press both sides simultaneously, as this can restrict blood flow to your brain and make you lightheaded.
Count beats for 15 seconds and multiply
Watch a clock with a second hand, use a timer, or count "one-Mississippi" for timing. Count the number of beats you feel in exactly 15 seconds. Multiply that number by 4. That gives your heart rate in beats per minute (BPM). For example, if you count 17 beats in 15 seconds, your heart rate is 68 BPM. If you want more accuracy, count for a full 30 seconds and multiply by 2. The 15-second method is close enough for routine monitoring.
Understand what your resting heart rate means
A normal resting heart rate for adults falls between 60 and 100 BPM. Fit individuals and athletes often range from 40 to 60 BPM because their hearts are more efficient at pumping blood. Within the normal range, lower is generally better because it indicates your heart does not have to work as hard at rest. A resting rate consistently above 100 BPM (called tachycardia) is worth discussing with your doctor. A rate below 60 BPM in someone who is not athletic (called bradycardia) is also worth mentioning.
Measure at the right time for consistency
For the most useful data, measure your resting heart rate first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, before coffee, and before any physical activity. This gives your true baseline resting rate. Measurements taken later in the day are influenced by caffeine, food, activity, stress, temperature, and hydration. Morning readings provide consistent, comparable data points that reveal actual fitness trends over time.
Know when your heart rate should be elevated
During exercise, your heart rate should increase. Your maximum heart rate is roughly 220 minus your age. Moderate exercise typically puts you at 50 to 70% of your maximum. Vigorous exercise puts you at 70 to 85%. After exercise, your heart rate should return to near resting within 10 to 20 minutes. Slower recovery indicates lower fitness. As you get fitter, recovery time shortens. This is a useful progress metric beyond just the resting number.
That is genuinely all there is to the measurement itself. The real value comes from tracking over time. A single reading tells you something, but a trend over weeks and months tells you much more. Track it in a notes app, a spreadsheet, or a health app. You will start noticing patterns. Your rate will be lower after good sleep, higher during stressful weeks, and gradually lower overall as your fitness improves.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
First thing in the morning, while still lying in bed, before you get up, drink coffee, or check your phone. This eliminates all the variables that affect heart rate throughout the day. If you forget to check in the morning, the next best option is after sitting quietly for at least 5 minutes in a calm environment.
According to the American Heart Association, for most adults, 60 to 80 BPM indicates good cardiovascular health. Below 60 often indicates excellent fitness (the heart pumps more blood per beat, so it needs fewer beats). Elite endurance athletes sometimes have resting rates in the low 40s. A rate between 80 and 100 is technically normal but may indicate room for fitness improvement. What matters most is your personal trend. A rate that gradually decreases over months means your heart is getting more efficient.
Occasional irregular beats (premature beats or palpitations) are very common and usually harmless. Caffeine, alcohol, stress, and lack of sleep can trigger them. However, if you notice a persistently irregular rhythm (consistently irregular spacing between beats), a very fast rate that starts and stops suddenly, or irregular beats accompanied by dizziness, chest pain, or shortness of breath, see a doctor. These could indicate atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias that need evaluation.
Optical wrist sensors (used in watches and fitness bands) are reasonably accurate for resting heart rate, typically within 3 to 5 BPM of the true value. They become less accurate during intense exercise, especially activities with lots of wrist movement. Chest strap heart rate monitors are significantly more accurate during exercise because they measure electrical signals directly. For casual health monitoring, wrist devices are fine. For precise training zones, a chest strap is better.
Generally yes, within limits. A lower rate means your heart is pumping efficiently. However, extremely low rates (below 40 BPM) in non-athletes can indicate a problem with the heart's electrical system. Some medications (particularly beta-blockers) also lower heart rate. The rate itself is just one data point. It matters most in context with your fitness level, medications, and symptoms. A trained runner with a resting rate of 45 is healthy. A sedentary person with a rate of 45 who feels dizzy should see a doctor.
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