Resting Heart Rate

What is Resting Heart Rate?

Number of heartbeats per minute while at rest

Why Resting Heart Rate Matters

Lower resting heart rate generally indicates better cardiovascular fitness. Elevated RHR associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular disease risk.

How to Optimize Resting Heart Rate

Resting heart rate (RHR) is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are completely at rest, typically measured first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. This simple metric reflects your cardiovascular fitness, autonomic nervous system function, and overall metabolic efficiency. A lower resting heart rate generally indicates a stronger, more efficient heart that can pump more blood with each contraction, requiring fewer beats to maintain circulation.

Your resting heart rate is controlled primarily by the autonomic nervous system, specifically the balance between sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activity. Well-trained athletes often have resting heart rates in the 40-60 bpm range due to increased vagal (parasympathetic) tone and cardiac efficiency. Conversely, elevated RHR can indicate poor cardiovascular fitness, chronic stress, inadequate recovery, overtraining, illness, or underlying medical conditions.