It is recommended that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily, and drink water before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration. Your heart will naturally work harder to flush out waste and maintain normal cardiac output.

Dehydration: When the body becomes dehydrated following exercise or a lack of fluids, the blood thickens and waste clogs the bloodstream.

When the body loses heat in cold weather, your heart rate decreases to preserve your core temperature. In hot and humid climates and during exercise your heart rate increases and pumps more blood to cool your skin’s surface and transfer heat away from your core.

Temperature: Your heart rate will increase or decrease in order to maintain your body’s core temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition, obesity can cause an abnormal heart rhythm called arrhythmia, which, when severe, can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Excess fat restricts the flow of blood through the veins and arteries, causing the heart to beat at a higher rate.

Body size: Extra weight puts stress on your body and heart.

Chronic stress exposes your body to a constant overexposure of elevated levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can increase your heart rate and the risk of heart attack.

Emotions: Stress, anxiety, fear, or strong emotions can raise your heart rate.Smoking also raises blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Both can cause your heart rate to increase. Smoking: The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and the nicotine in cigarettes stimulates your body to produce adrenaline.In people who are sedentary and out of shape, the heart is also out of shape and has to beat more frequently to meet the body’s oxygen demands. People who get a lot of physical activity or are very athletic generally have lower heart rates because their heart is in better condition and doesn’t need to work as hard. Fitness and activity levels: The heart is a muscle and is strengthened by exercise.There are many factors can affect your heart rate, including: Consult your doctor if your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats a minute ( tachycardia) or if your resting heart rate is below 60 beats a minute ( bradycardia) - especially if you have other signs or symptoms, such as fainting, feeling dizzy, shortness of breath or chest pain.Ī normal heart rate will vary from person to person. An unusually high or low heart rate may indicate an underlying problem regardless of fitness level, and may increase the risk of heart disease and premature death. While a higher resting heart rate is generally linked with a sedentary lifestyle, higher blood pressure, and body weight, there is a wide range of normal. Knowing your heart rate can be an important gauge of your heart health. Children tend to have higher resting heart rates than adults. An athlete or more active person may have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute. A lower resting heart rate is generally means your heart is healthy and in good condition – it can pump more blood with each contraction and doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain a steady beat. A normal resting heart rate is usually 60-100 beats per minute and varies from person to person. The best time to get your resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed. Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re at rest and your heart is pumping the lowest amount of blood to supply the oxygen your body’s needs.

Multiply this number by four to calculate the beats per minute to get your heart rate. When you feel your pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds. You may need to move your fingers around until you feel the pulsing. Press lightly with your fingers until you feel the blood pulsing beneath your fingers. To check your pulse at your wrist, place the tips of your index and middle finger on the palm side of your other wrist, below the fat pad of your thumb. Although you may be able to feel your blood pumping in a number of places-your neck, the inside of your elbow, and even the top of your foot-your wrist is probably the most convenient and reliable place to get a good pulse. When your heart pumps blood through your body, it creates a pulse that you can feel on the arteries that are close to the skin’s surface. To measure your heart rate, simply check your pulse. When you exercise, you heart speeds up and pumps more blood, which allows oxygen-rich blood to flow easily and reach your muscles. Your heart rate is lower when you are at rest. Throughout the day your heart speeds up and slows down to accommodate your body’s changing need for oxygen. Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute.

Regular heartbeat for adults