How To Check Heart Rate At Home – Best And Very Useful Ways
How To Check Heart Rate – Heart rate is a measure of how many times the heart beats in a minute.
Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are not exercising or under stress. Resting heart rate can be an important indicator of heart muscle health.
You can check your heart rate in general, during exercise, or when you have symptoms such as dizziness.
You may also need to check your child’s pulse or someone else’s pulse in an emergency after calling 911 to determine if CPR is needed.
Your age and fitness level have a big impact on your resting heart rate. All of the following can also affect your heart rate:
- Temperature
- Body position, such as lying, sitting, or standing
- Emotional state
- Caffeine intake
- Certain medications
- Underlying heart or thyroid conditions
There are several ways to check your pulse. Here are some of the most common methods:
Method 1: Radial Pulse
To check your pulse this way, you will find the radial artery.
- Place your index and middle fingers on the inside of the opposite wrist, just below your thumb.
- Do not use your thumb to check the pulse, as the arteries in the thumb can make an accurate count difficult.
- After taking your pulse, count how many beats you feel in 15 seconds.
- Multiply this number by 4 to find your heart rate. For example, 20 beats in 15 seconds corresponds to a heart rate of 80 beats per minute (bpm).
Method 2: Carotid Pulse
To check your pulse this way, you will find the carotid artery.
- Place your index and middle fingers on your throat just below your jaw. You may need to move your fingers until you feel your heart beat.
- Count the pulse you feel for 15 seconds.
- Multiply this number by 4 to find your heart rate.
Method 3: Pedal Pulse
You can also find your heart rate at the top of your leg. It’s called Paddle Plus.
- Place your index and middle toes on the highest point of the bone that runs along the top of your foot. You may need to run your finger across the bone, or slightly to either side, to feel for a pulse.
- After finding your pulse, count your beats for 15 seconds.
- Multiply by 4 to get your heart rate.
Method 4: Brachial Pulse
Another place to check for a pulse is the brachial artery. This method is often used in young children.
- Rotate the arm so that it is slightly bent and the inside of the arm is toward the ceiling.
- Place your index and middle fingers along your arm, above and below the crease of your elbow, between the tip of your ulna. Then move your fingers up an inch from your hand. You may need to push hard to feel a pulse.
- After taking the pulse, count how many beats there are in 15 seconds.
- Multiply this number by 4 to find your heart rate.
Method 5 – Monitor your heart rate with an assistive device
There are several devices that can report your heart rate, such as:
- A home blood pressure machine
- Digital fitness tracker
- Smartphone app
- The Exercise Machines
The most accurate device for monitoring your heart rate is a wireless chest monitor. It takes readings from a wrist-worn fitness tracker.
Wrist-worn digital fitness trackers, home blood pressure monitors, and smartphone apps are less accurate than manual heart rate monitors. However, this device is quite accurate and very useful while playing games.
The machine may have a metal handle to measure heart rate, but this is often very inaccurate. It’s more efficient to check your heart rate manually or use a digital fitness tracker to check your heart rate during exercise.
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What should your heart rate be?
Heart rate norms depend primarily on age, not gender, although men’s heart rates are slightly lower than women’s.
The ideal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. In physically fit people, such as athletes, resting heart rates can be as low as 60 beats per minute.
Heart rate goals can be used to enhance your workout and keep you safe. In general, exercising between 60 and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate is most beneficial.
Exercising at the lower end of this percentage or interval training (when your heart rate goes up and down) is best for burning fat. Upper body exercises are great for strengthening the cardiovascular system.
To calculate your expected maximum heart rate, you can use the equation to subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 45 years old, your expected maximum heart rate is 175 beats per minute (220 – 45 = 175).
You can then use your maximum heart rate to determine your target heart rate during your workout.
The chart below shows the expected target and maximum heart rates for different age groups:
The most accurate way to determine your maximum heart rate and target heart rate is to participate in an exercise test administered by your doctor.
It’s best to consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you’re sedentary or have a history of heart or lung problems.
When you see a doctor?
A persistently low heart rate is called bradycardia. In healthy young adults or trained athletes, a slow heart rate with no other symptoms is usually a sign of a very healthy heart muscle.
However, a low heart rate can be a sign of a serious underlying problem. If your heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute and you feel chest pain, call 911.
A persistently fast heart rate (over 100 beats per minute at rest) is called tachycardia. It’s normal to have a racing heart when you’re exercising, stressed, anxious, sick, or consuming caffeine.
A resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute is not normal, especially if you also have:
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Headache
- Palpitations
- Sudden anxiety
- Chest pain
If you experience these symptoms, see your doctor.
The Bottom Line
There is an easy way to check your heart rate that you can do at home. Knowing your resting heart rate is useful as an indicator of your heart health.
You can maximize your workout by knowing your target heart rate and monitoring your heart rate during your workout.
Sometimes a fast or slow heart rate can be a sign of a serious underlying problem, along with other symptoms. Get immediate medical attention if you experience this.