CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Dear Cindy, What is a resting heart rate,
and how do I determine mine? -- Corinne A resting heart rate is
the number of heartbeats each minute you are at rest and
completely still. The RHR can tell you how strong and efficient
your heart is and, based on that number, indicate whether your
heart is getting stronger or weaker as time goes by. The lower
the number, the more powerful your heart probably is, and the
higher the number, the less able your heart is to efficiently
pump the blood from the tip of your toes to the top of your
head. Certain medications can skew these numbers, but generally
your RHR is a great way to see if your cardio workouts are
challenging your system enough to make a healthy difference over
time. The most accurate way to determine your RHR is to plan to
take your pulse in advance because it must be taken before you
rise. Once you get out of bed and move, the heart rate
increases. Place a timepiece with a second hand near your bed so
that when you wake, you can eas