Many of us know how important it is to get our blood pressure tested.
If you’ve got a womb, you’ll probably be aware of how important smear tests are, and the NHS tests your cholesterol levels during a Health Check, too.
But according to Harvard Medical School’s site, there’s another 30-second test we can run ourselves at home that may “help identify potential health problems as well as gauge your current heart health”.
Your resting heart rate may reveal a lot about your cardiovascular health
Harvard’s site says that measuring your resting heart rate (the number of times your heart beats in a set period while you’re relaxed) is “one of the easiest, and maybe most effective, ways to gauge your health”.
All you need is two fingers and a way to measure time.
Place your index and middle fingers on your wrist or neck ― anywhere you can feel a pulse.
Don’t use your thumb as this has its own pulse which can confuse you.
Don’t do it within an hour after exercise or drinking caffeine either ― this is about your resting heart rate.
Measure the beats across 30 seconds and then double it to get your beats per minute (BPM).
You should repeat it a few times to make sure your reading is accurate.
And if you want a really good reading, take your resting heart rate multiple times across that week at different times of day.
Factors like stress, hormones, and some medications can affect your BPM.
What’s normal, and when should I worry?
The “healthy” range for adults is between 60-100 BPM, but most of us have a resting heart rate below 90 BPM.
Dr Jason Wasfy, director of quality and analytics at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, said: “In certain cases, a lower resting heart rate can mean a higher degree of physical fitness, which is associated with reduced rates of cardiac events like heart attacks.”
However, “if you have a slow heart rate and are experiencing symptoms like fainting and tiredness, you should make an appointment with your GP,” the British Heart Foundation says.
“A high resting heart rate could be a sign of an increased risk of cardiac risk in some situations, as the more beats your heart has to take eventually takes a toll on its overall function,” Dr Wasfy adds.
A 2013 study found a high resting heart rate “was a risk factor for mortality independent of physical fitness (VOMax) and other major potential confounders” like blood pressure and weight.
You can lower your resting heart rate through exercise, Dr Wasfy shared.
Ultimately, your resting heart rate is only one piece of the puzzle. Looking at it alongside cholesterol levels and blood pressure captures the full picture far better.
If you’re worried about your heart health or heart rate, speak to your GP.