Back to Accidents, first aid and treatments. You can check your heart rate by taking your pulse and counting how many times your heart beats in 1 minute 60 seconds. Your heart rate varies depending on what you're doing — for example, it will be slower if you're sleeping and faster if you're exercising. To get your resting heart rate, you need to have been sitting still before checking your pulse. This gives you your heart rate — the number of times your heart beats per minute bpm.
You can also check if your pulse is regular or irregular by feeling its rhythm for about 30 seconds. It's very common to have occasional irregular heartbeats, such as missed beats. But an irregular pulse can be a sign of a heart condition, like atrial fibrillation AF , an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.
This is more likely if you're 65 or older. According to the National Institute of Health :. Your maximum heart rate is a calculation that helps you figure out what your ideal target heart rate is during exercise. You can estimate your maximum age-related heart rate by subtracting your age from Your target heart rate uses this calculation to reflect the ideal bpm you need for a great workout.
For adults, a fast heart rate is defined as a heart rate over beats per minute. There are many different types of tachycardia. Their classification is based on their cause and the part of the heart they affect.
Experiencing tachycardia may be temporary. For athletes and people that exercise regularly, a heart rate of under 60 beats per minute is normal and even healthy.
Borderline or occasional bradycardia may not need treatment. But prolonged bradycardia, or bradycardia that is not treated, can become more serious. If you are already living with heart disease, heart failure, or a history of heart disease and notice a fluctuation in your heart rate, you should go to the doctor as soon as you can, as it could be a sign of a serious complication.
It could be a sign of a serious heart complication, and you should get yourself to the doctor or the emergency room as soon as you can. While there are a wide variety of wearable devices that can help you check your own heart rate, you can also do it manually.
The American Heart Association has a simple method :. Tachycardia, which again is when your heart rate is faster than it should be, can be caused by underlying health conditions, such as:. Taking illegal drugs such as stimulants, like cocaine or methamphetamines or misusing both prescription and non-prescription medicines like diet pills may also cause your heart to beat too fast.
Once a diagnosis is made, your doctor will work with you to develop a plan to treat and manage your condition.
You should always aim to take good care of your heart. This includes doing things like exercising regularly , eating a variety of heart-healthy foods , minimizing alcohol, and managing your weight. Additionally, you should visit your doctor regularly for physicals. Not only is it good practice, but it can also help with early detection of things like high cholesterol or blood pressure abnormalities.
If you already have heart disease, you should carefully monitor your condition and stick to your treatment plan. There are other things that can make your heart beat faster, like caffeine, nicotine, recreational drugs and some kinds of medications. Your heart will also beat faster when you feel strong emotions, like anxiety or fear.
An irregular pulse is when the heart doesn't beat in a regular, steady rhythm. This is also called an irregular heart rate or an arrhythmia. Often an irregular pulse is harmless. However, it's important to get it checked by a health professional, because sometimes it's a sign of a heart condition.
The most common kind of heart rhythm condition is atrial fibrillation AF , which can put you at greater risk of having a stroke. Fortunately, if you have AF, there's medication you can take to help reduce this stroke risk.
Your doctor can do a simple test called an ECG electrocardiogram to further check your irregular pulse. A heart palpitation is when you suddenly become aware of your heart beating, usually in an irregular way. Your heart beat may feel:. It is not unusual to feel heart palpitations occasionally and mostly they are harmless. Like any other muscle, your heart needs exercise to keep it fit and healthy. Regular exercise can help reduce your risk of heart disease and other health conditions, such as diabetes.
To keep your heart healthy, you should aim to do minutes of low to moderate intensity exercise a week. If you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor about what exercise and target heart rates are safe for you.
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