What's Your Pulse Rate Should Be At Every Age

Are you familiar with the feeling of your heart pounding in your chest, your blood pulsing through your veins or when the frequency increases as you get scared or stressed or work out a lot at the gym? This is how your heart reacts to different situations. But how many have you ever noticed your heart rate when you are resting?

Resting heart rate or pulse is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest. It is also an essential sign that provides a glimpse into your heart and overall health, especially your age, says the American Heart Association (AHA).

Resting heart rate can change as per one's age as there is no one-size-fits-all metric. Other than age, there are other factors such as stress, hormones, anxiety, medication and physical activity that can also contribute to your heart rate.

As per AHA, a resting heart rate between 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) is considered "normal" in most adults. Athletes or very active individuals may have a resting heart rate as low as 40bpm, as Michael Phelps, an Olympian swimmer maintained 38bpm at the peak of his career.

This means the harder your heart has to work to pump blood throughout the body while you are not exerting yourself, the higher your resting heart rate will be. This is why a lower resting heart rate indicates a healthier body. Experts also suggest that the more exercise and regular cardiovascular exertion that you have, the lower your resting heart rate will be.

What happens if your resting heart rate is too high or low? If you are getting sick, then you may notice a higher pulse.

If you have a pulse over 100bpm is called tachycardia and can be brought on by anything from dehydration or excessive caffeine intake, to smoking or anxiety. The AHA recommends talking to your doctor in case you notice abnormal heart rate,