Know Your Heart Rate – When Should You Worry?
Maintaining your heart rate is like maintaining your car – you don’t want to speed all the way up or speed all the way down. The best tempo is a steady one indicating normalcy. But with the pressures of everyday life, we often forget that the body is a machine too is prone to needing repair. We don’t pay attention to much except outward wounds but what about something like an abnormal heart rate?

The normalcy of maintaining a heart rate is very much important. The heart is central to all the functions in our body. It helps in maintaining a constant blood flow to all of our organs. The heart also circulates oxygen and nutrients across the body. Therefore, any deficiency in these functions will definitely affect your overall day to day activities. So, without any further ado, let us find out all about heart rate.

What is a normal heart rate?

• According to the heart rate chart, a normal heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (BPM). The slower 60 BPM is known as bradycardia, and the higher 100 BPM is known as tachycardia.
• Also, if we go by the normal heart rate chart, according to some experts, ideally a normal heart rate is between 50 and 70 BPM.
• Still, it should be kept in mind that a normal heart rate will depend on the situation or age as well. In a normal heart rate chart, age is imperative for figuring out the ideal range of heart rate.

What is a slow heart rate and why is it caused?

• If we go by the heart rate chart, slow heart rate is when the BPM is less than 60.
• Slow heart rate in healthy people can be due to different reasons but mainly due to:

– Taking a medication

– Being physically active

– Sleeping

• However, in some cases, patients get slow heart rate if they have had any kind of heart attack or heart disease, some infections, high levels of potassium in the blood or if their thyroid gland is not active.

What is a fast heart rate and how is it caused?

• Fast heart rate is when the BPM of the heart goes over 100 in the heart rate chart.
• It can happen when you’re exercising or when you’re nervous. It can also happen if you’re pregnant or using a stimulant like caffeine or cocaine.
• Fast heart rates can also lead way to problems like anemia, asthma, low levels of potassium in the blood, thyroid gland being highly active, heart problems like cardiomyopathy, etc.

What should your maximum heart rate be?

• If you’re not sure if the exercise routine you have is too rigorous, then a simple calculation will let you know. Let’s say you are 40 years old. First, you have to deduct the same from 220, which leaves 180. Now you have to multiply that value by 0.7 and 0.8, to get the exact range of maximum BPM of your heart. Therefore, 180×0.7= 126 BPM, and 180×0.8= 144 BPM.
• So, 126-144 BPM should be your range of maximum BPM.
• If the exercise you’re doing makes your heart reach BPM in this range, then your exercise is rigorous.

What are the symptoms of slow/fast heart rate and when should you worry about it?

Any type of slow or fast heart rate can be discovered during a physical examination, or an Electrocardiogram test, or any kind of other testing methods. The symptoms for slow and fast heart rate are often similar so you need to check with your medical practitioner to diagnose it correctly.

• Slow heart rate symptoms include fatigue, confusion, facing difficulties in exercising, fainting, dizziness, or lightheartedness.
• Fast heart rate symptoms include having chest pain, facing difficulties in breathing, fatigue, dizziness or lightheadedness, pounding sensations in the chest.

How to keep your heart healthy and heart rate normal?

• Eating lots of fruits and green vegetables, along with grains, fresh fish, etc. will definitely help you in keeping your heart healthy.
• Indulging in activities like smoking is a strict no.
• Always be aware of what you eat and when you eat; keep your calorie count and body cholesterol in check.
• Any form of physical exercise such as running, jogging, playing sports, swimming helps one keep fit.