by It may sound dramatic, but the rate with which your heart beats plays a key role for how long you will probably live.
According to expert cardiologists and academic researchers, the resting frequency (also known as pulse frequency) has become a simple, yet important biomarker when determining their heart and their risk of illness.
What exactly is the resting frequency, what is normal and what does it mean for your health?
What is a resting heart rate?
Simply expressed, the doctors define a resting heart rate as their number of heartbeats per minute, while they sit still and relax. “Depending on things, such as physical activity, caffeine intake and stress can vary,” says Dr. Nikita Patel, medical director with vitality.
On average, most of us have a resting frequency that varies between 60 and 100 strokes per minute, an area that has been considered normal for a long time. However, some evidence suggests that if your resting frequency is consistently over 80 strokes per minute, you may be more susceptible to certain diseases.
Why is your resting frequency important?
Your resting heart rate is important because:
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Lifted values can be a sign of chronic stress.
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It can lead to increased blood pressure and ultimately a higher risk of stroke.
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The underlying health states can be uncovered.
In order to understand the importance of resting frequency, says Prof. Tarv Dhanjal, cardiologist and professor of cardiology at the University of Warwick that we have to understand the physiological factors that determine how quickly the heartbeats are.
It works like this, our resting frequency is regulated by the nervous system by the brain. Many chronic diseases can interfere with the balance of the nervous system. For this reason, the remaining heart rate can reflect conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea.
How can you check the Rasting heart frequency at home?
Dr. Patel says that you can check your resting frequency with a simple stopwatch that is available on all smartphones. She recommends setting up for five to 10 minutes and resting and following the following instructions:
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Place your hand up on a surface with the palm and then place your index and your middle finger on the thumb side of your wrist. You should feel a pulse that is a bit like a striking feeling. If you can’t feel anything, you may have to press a little more firmly or set the position of your fingers.
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Set your timer for 60 seconds and then count the number of blows you feel until your timer runs out.
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The number of blows you counted is your resting frequency.
Many of the latest smartwatches such as Masimo W1 and Apple Watch will automatically record their resting frequency, while intelligent scales such as those from with.
The effect of hormones on the heart rate
Your heart rate is partially driven by hormones, such as B.:
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Dopamine
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adrenaline
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Noradrenaline
These hormones are released from glands within the body as part of the innate combat or flight reaction.
“Your adrenal gland fills adrenaline or norepinephrine, and this offers you the cardiac volume that is necessary to enable your muscles and brain function in high quality,” says Prof. Dhanjal.
The effect of the nervous system on the heart rate
The heart rate can also be directly regulated by the brain by nerve fibers that connect the brain to the heart. There are two different answers from the nervous system that are activated, depending on whether they are relaxed or stressed, and either accelerate or slow down their heart rate.
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The so -called parasympathetic reaction, which is activated by yoga, meditation and general relaxation, helps to slow down your heart.
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The sympathetic nervous system, which is activated by danger or stress, speeds up your heartbeat.
People who are easier to work due to permanent work or family pressure usually have an overactive sympathetic nervous system, a sign of chronic stress. Over time, this consistently high heart rate can lead to chronically increased blood pressure and ultimately to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
How exactly shows your resting frequency on the basis of health states?
Prof. Dhanjal explains that the resting heart rate often reflects an underlying disease that affects vital body systems and organs because it causes a disturbance of the balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system.
“High blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, all of these conditions cause a disorder in this balance, and they lead to a greater sympathetic drive in the heart and increase their heart rate,” he says.
What are the effects of a higher or lower resting frequency?
Graham Rena, professor of endocrinology at the University of Dundee, says that a higher resting frequency is associated with cardiovascular diseases and mortality for all reasons based on studies that have examined large population groups of humans. “Very high resting frequency [more than 100 beats per minute] Can also be a sign of diseases such as atrial fibrillation, ”he says.
Elite athletes can sometimes have remarkably low resting frequencies due to their extreme training. In the 1980s, when Sebastian Coe, as a two -time Olympic gold medalist, measures a resting heart rate per minute as a two -time Olympic gold medalist.
For most of us, however, this would also be an indication of something that is badly wrong, such as low blood pressure or heart valve problems. Patel says that it is not common for your resting frequency to dive below 60 BPM if you don’t train much.
What causes a high resting frequency?
According to experts, the following can cause a high resting frequency:
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High caffeine, for example by regular consumption of energy drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases the heart rate directly.
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High stress lifestyle and lack of movement
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According to Prof. Rena, genetics have also shown that genetics play a certain role in the determination of how quickly their heart beats.
How do you lower your resting frequency?
Here are some options that you can try to reduce your resting frequency:
1. Eat a balanced diet
Prof. Dhanjal recommends a diet that offers a more stable energy supply during the day that can help reduce its resting frequency.
For example, he recommends three meals accompanied by small snacks and offer a balance between complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and beans as well as meat, fiber and vegetables.
2. Try aerobic exercise
Some forms of aerobic exercises such as running or swimming (which ironically increase your heart rate) may be the most effective means by improving the underlying suitability of your heart and the sound of your nervous system. “You think that the top heart frequency for athletes is higher because your hearts are prepared to react to this likeable reaction,” says Prof. Dhanjal.
However, it is not necessary to be an Olympian to achieve good resting frequency. Prof. Rena says that there is some indications that a more modest level of physical activity could spread throughout the day, which could reduce the resting frequency. Examples are:
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Get up every few hours from your desk for a five -minute walk
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Do a yoga course at lunchtime
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Take an evening walk after dinner
“The maintenance of a healthy BMI of less than 25 by avoiding energy -density food with high fat, sugar and salt will probably also reduce the resting frequency,” he says.
When to see a doctor
Dr. Patel says that if you have a low resting frequency with symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness or fainting, you should see your family doctor.
Due to the demand for the NHS, Prof. Dhanjal says that a GP consultation would not be offered solely on the basis of a resting heart rate value, unless there were additional symptoms, such as:
However, Prof. Dhanjal believes that the resting frequency should be taken more seriously, and if he sees patients, he will test this metric and, if necessary, examine it further.
“The resting frequency should be taken seriously, because everything that can reduce its durability should be taken seriously,” he says. “In patients I see, I will surely test tests to determine their resting frequency of determining their heart rate variability, whether there are indications of endorga damage, and advice and instructions on how to improve their resting frequency.”
