500 million. This number does not refer to the age of the Earth, but rather the average number of times each person's heart beats in a lifetime. Breaking this number down further, a person's heart beats 100,000 times a day, pumping about 7,500 liters of blood.
Heart rate refers to the exact number of times the heart beats per minute. Although some people do not pay much attention to certain body metrics, such as blood pressure or weight, they are still very important. For example, a person's resting heart rate can reveal a lot about the function of the heart muscle.
Resting heart rate refers to the number of times the heart beats per minute when you are relaxed, lying down, and emotionally stable. Typically, a person's heart rate is lowest during sleep or other non-active states and increases with physical activity.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
A normal resting heart rate ranges between 60 to 100 beats per minute.
A resting heart rate within the normal range is important because it places a lower demand on the heart muscle, meaning the heart does not have to work too hard.
Think of the heart as a sports car, and the oxygen in the blood as gasoline. The faster the car goes, the more gasoline it needs, and the more blood the heart needs to pump, increasing the heart's workload to keep the car running at speed.
What happens with slow and fast heart rates?
A heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute is called "tachycardia," which can be triggered by fever, anemia, dehydration, and physical or emotional stress that causes the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline acts like gasoline on fire for the heart rate. It can cause more severe problems, such as fainting, blood clots that can lead to stroke, and even heart failure.
A 2010 study found that people with an average heart rate exceeding 84 beats per minute over five years had a 55% higher chance of dying from heart disease compared to those with lower resting heart rates.
On the other hand, a heart rate below 60 beats per minute is called "bradycardia," which can lead to insufficient blood flow to the brain. Abnormally low heart rates can cause symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, and even loss of consciousness. Sometimes, taking certain medications, such as beta-blockers for high blood pressure or medications for hypothyroidism, can result in a lower resting heart rate. Abnormalities in the heart's electrical pathways can also lower the heart rate.
These are all abnormal cases of low heart rate, but a low resting heart rate is not always a bad thing. Endurance athletes—such as cyclists and long-distance runners—can have resting heart rates as low as 40 beats per minute and still be very healthy.
However, there are exceptions. In some cases, excessive exercise can lead to "athlete's heart," where the heart enlarges and is accompanied by a low heart rate. But runners need not worry; this is usually a good thing.
As long as it is not excessive, the best way to maintain a healthy heart rate is through physical exercise.Experts recommend combining aerobic exercise with strength training, totaling about 150 minutes per week.
Meanwhile,The heart can only change with a certain intensity of exercise stimulus, but this intensity should not be too high; otherwise, it becomes anaerobic exercise. This heart rate range is called the "effective heart rate zone." Once you understand the effective heart rate zone, you can control the amount and intensity of exercise during different activities: for example, 50%-60% of the maximum exercise heart rate is beneficial for warming up and cooling down; 60%-70% can improve exercise capacity and aid in fat loss; 70%-80% can enhance both strength and endurance; and above 85% is more effective for improving endurance.
How can you know your heart rate?
With today's technological advancements, various heart rate monitoring devices can provide astonishing accuracy. A 2017 study by Stanford University found that the heart rate detection function of 6 out of 7 fitness tracking devices had an accuracy rate of over 95%.
For example, the Codoon Band 3 can achieve 24-hour heart rate monitoring. Its newly upgraded heart rate algorithm has excellent anti-interference capabilities, providing accurate heart rate results even in complex environments. You don't need to worry about inaccuracies by tightening the wristband too much. Additionally, when the exercise heart rate reaches the target warning value, the band will continuously vibrate to remind you to keep your heart rate within the fat-burning or safe training range.
Moreover, Codoon has partnered with "Father of Aerobics" Cooper to provide authoritative strategies and personalized training plans to improve aerobic capacity.
In fact, we can also measure our heart rate by touching the pulse on our wrist or neck.
Place your index and middle fingers on one side of the trachea on your neck to feel the pulse; if it's on the wrist, use your fingers to find the pulse between the bone and tendon on the thumb side of the wrist. Once you find a steady pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds and then multiply by 4 to get the resting heart rate.
Although our resting heart rate may vary daily, maintaining a healthy basic range is very important. If changes in your heart rate have caught your attention, it could indicate some internal issues. This is especially true if your heart rate is consistently below the resting heart rate range or if you frequently experience unexplained rapid heartbeats.
Regular exercisers should also not ignore abnormal heart rates. If you find your usual training routines more exhausting and require more effort, it means you need to rest or see a doctor.
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