You resting heart rate determines how fit you are. This article discusses healthy resting heart rate for men.
The heart receives purified blood from the lungs, and it pumps the blood to all organs of the body. While receiving and pumping the blood, it relaxes and contracts ceaselessly. This movement of the heart is referred to as “beating of the heart”, and counting the beats of the heart helps evaluate the heart health. The number of times your heart beats per minute while resting is your resting heart rate (RHR).
Checking the pulse is the easiest way to determine your heart rate. The unit used to describe your heart rate is beats per minute (bpm). Having a healthy RHR shows that you have a healthy heart, and it doesn’t have to put extra efforts to pump the blood.
Normal Heart Rate
The heart rate measured when you are relaxed and lying down is called resting heart rate. It varies according to age, gender, and physical activity. The normal resting heart rate for men is around 68-75 bpm. Women may have a slightly higher resting heart rate, around 75-80 bpm. Newborn infants have a very high resting heart rate, around 120-160 bpm. Your RHR range reflects the condition of your heart and lungs. Having a high RHR consistently is referred as tachycardia while a low RHR is called bradycardia.
Your heart beats faster when you perform strenuous exercises. Fitness trainers need to refer to your RHR to determine your fitness level. Depending upon your resting heart rate, your target heart rate during exercise is determined. Well trained athletes show amazingly low average resting heart rate, around 50-55 bpm. Slow beating heart suggests that your heart is so efficient that it doesn’t have to beat more number of times or work too hard to pump the blood. On the contrary, high RHR indicates that there is some problem in the circulatory system, including the heart.
Healthy Resting Heart Rate for Men
| Age | RHR for Athletes | Awesome | Excellent | Very Healthy | Healthy | Below Average | Poor |
| 18-25 | 49-55 | 56-61 | 62-65 | 66-69 | 70-73 | 74-81 | 82+ |
| 26-35 | 49-54 | 55-61 | 62-65 | 66-70 | 71-74 | 75-81 | 82+ |
| 36-45 | 50-56 | 57-62 | 63-66 | 67-70 | 71-75 | 76-82 | 83+ |
| 46-55 | 50-57 | 58-63 | 64-67 | 68-71 | 72-76 | 77-83 | 84+ |
| 56-65 | 51-56 | 57-61 | 62-67 | 68-71 | 72-75 | 76-81 | 82+ |
| 65+ | 50-55 | 56-61 | 62-65 | 66-69 | 70-73 | 74-79 | 80+ |
Low and High Resting Heart Rates
Low or high pulse rate while resting are symptoms of heart diseases. Excessive weight gain, losing too much of weight in a short period of time, blockages in the arteries, heart or lung problems, emotional stress, position of the body, high altitude, certain medicines, and physical activities can affect your resting heart rate. The causes of low pulse rate while at rest include aging, reduced body temperature, scarcity of thyroid hormones, certain medications ,and heart diseases. As explained in the aforementioned table, RHR between 70-73 is considered healthy for men. Thyroid problems, high blood pressure, inflammation of the heart muscles or pericardium, and lack of oxygen can cause high pulse rate at rest.
Following a healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, and performing cardiovascular exercises regularly is necessary to maintain the resting heart rate within normal range. Simple lifestyle changes can help improve the efficiency and health of your heart.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
