Surefire Ways to Lower Your Resting Heart Rate

According to heart specialists, the normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, they add that the lower the resting heart rate, the better — it’s a clear sign that the heart is in an excellent state. In fact, it’s not unlikely for a really fit athlete to have a resting heart rate that’s closer to 40 beats per minute.

In this article, you will come across some tips on how you can have your resting heart rate lowered.

But before we take a look at the said tips, let us first take a look at the steps on how to properly take your resting heart rate before you jump out of bed to start your day:

Place your index and middle and fingers over the radial artery — it’s located between the bone and the tendon in the thumb side of your inner wrist. 

Count the number of beats within 15 seconds. 

Multiply the number by 4 — that’s your resting heart rate.

Just like what’s mentioned earlier, heart specialists say that a lower resting heart rate is an indicator that your heart is in a healthy shape. That’s because it is very efficient at pumping blood to your various cells, tissues and organs. A higher resting heart rate means that your ticker has to work a lot harder just for it to pump blood effectively.

Not happy with your resting heart rate because it’s closer to 100 than 60 beats per minute? Then this is the right time to make some changes if you want to keep your heart from being overworked.

Doctors say that a high resting heart rate can put you at higher risk of having heart disease, heart attack and stroke than someone else whose resting heart rate is close to 60 beats per minute or even lower. What’s more, it is also something that can cause chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue and dizziness.

If you want to enjoy a lower resting heart rate, simply follow these tips:

Exercise regularly

It’s true that being physically active can raise your heart rate. However, it’s something that can lead to a lower resting heart rate in the long run. Heart specialists say that something as simple as walking for not less than 20 minutes a day on most days of the week is regarded as an excellent form of exercise.

Have a healthy diet

Make sure that your everyday diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables. At the same time, see to it that you limit your intake of anything that contains a lot of sugar and sodium. Adding oily fish to your diet is a wonderful idea since it contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the heart.

Keep stress to a minimum

Especially if you have a very hectic day-to-day schedule, consider engaging in activities that are known to help minimize stress. There are so many of them to choose from — attending yoga classes, having a furry pal, listening to soothing music, reading a nice book and having a massage.

Drink plenty of water

Keeping the body properly hydrated is the secret to having optimum blood pressure, which is good for maintaining a normal resting heart rate. Also, consider limiting your intake of coffee and alcoholic beverages because they can cause dehydration, resulting in a faster heart rate.

Maintain an ideal body weight

The above mentioned tips can help you lose unwanted pounds, which is beneficial for your cardiovascular health. Being overweight or obese is not only a risk factor for high blood pressure and heart disease, but also other health concerns like diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Related Posts
Total
0
Share