Ask the Expert: What are Healthy Resting Heart Rates for Men and Women?

Question: What are healthy resting heart rates for men and women of different ages?

Answer: Normal heart rate for adults at rest can be variable due to the fact that most people don't really measure it at rest rather than during the busy day. Measured after 30 minutes of lying down I would expect a heart rate of 50 to 70 form men, 60 to 80 for women. A heart rate above 95 for either would be considered fast (called tachycardia). Fast heart rates rarely mean heart disease as they can occur for a multitude of reasons (anxiety, fever, common cold, cold medicines, dehydration or heat stroke, excessive coffee or stimulants, anemia and thyroid over activity just to name a few).

Related Articles:

Learn more about the many factors- environmental and genetic- that determine resting heart rates.

Learn more about arrhythmia, when it occurs and different treatment options.