Got a Fitbit or Apple Watch tracking your heart rate? Now you know your resting heart rate, but is it ideal? Let’s explore a study by Fitbit that analyzed resting heart rate data from 92,457 de-identified individuals to determine what your resting heart rate should be.
First, the study shows an average resting heart rate of 64 bpm for men and 67 bpm for women. It’s normal for women to have a slightly higher resting heart rate than men.
Interestingly, average resting heart rate varies by age, being lower when you’re younger and older. This can be due to factors like muscle mass and overall health. As BMI increases, so does resting heart rate, which is expected since the heart has to pump blood through more body mass. Additionally, heart rate variability decreases with age.
Overall, while a lower resting heart rate is generally better, it’s very individual. If you’re small and old with a low resting heart rate, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have an exceptionally healthy heart.
In a future post, we’ll dive into heart rate variability, which provides a better measure of heart health by showing the balance between your parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
Stay tuned for more insights into heart health.
