Heart Rate
bpm
The number of times your heart beats per minute, measured continuously throughout the day.
Typical optimal range 55 bpm - 85 bpm
Population median 72 bpm
Key factors
- Physical exertion and activity level
- Caffeine and stimulant intake
- Emotional stress and acute anxiety
What affects this metric
- Aerobic training lowers resting heart rate over weeks to months.
- Anemia, thyroid disorders, and fever raise resting heart rate.
- Caffeine and nicotine raise heart rate for several hours after intake.
- Alcohol elevates heart rate through the night, even after a single drink.
- Heat, dehydration, and illness all push heart rate up.
References
Peer-reviewed sources supporting the key factors, contributing factors, and typical optimal range shown above.
- Ostchega Y, Porter KS, Hughes J, Dillon CF, Nwankwo T. Resting pulse rate reference data for children, adolescents, and adults: United States, 1999–2008. Vital and Health Statistics, Series 11, No. 41. 2011. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_041.pdf
- Reimers AK, Knapp G, Reimers CD. Effects of exercise on the resting heart rate: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2018;7(12):503. doi.org/10.3390/jcm7120503
- Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2013;9(11):1195–1200. doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.3170
- Radin JM, Wineinger NE, Topol EJ, Steinhubl SR. Harnessing wearable device data to improve state-level real-time surveillance of influenza-like illness in the USA. The Lancet Digital Health. 2020;2(2):e85–e93. doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(19)30222-5
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your clinician about your own results.