# What's your resting heart rate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051 "2015-01-05T18:36:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/1 "2015-01-05T18:36:47Z")
For some reason I find this number very interesting, but it doesn’t seem socially acceptable to go around checking people’s pulses. In my experience, you get the lowest results (which are the ones I’m interested in) late in the evening on the couch or in bed. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/2 "2015-01-05T18:41:58Z")
If I measure at a truly down time (like early in the morning), it’s in the 56-58 range. During most of the day if I’ve been up and moving a little bit, I’d say about 64. I voted with the lower band. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/3 "2015-01-05T18:48:25Z")
Not resting exactly, since I was just up walking around and ate my lunch, and had a cup of coffee. 62. My true resting rate is usually in the low 50’s. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/4 "2015-01-05T19:17:35Z")
Around 40, but that is due to medication. Unmedicated, it is mid-50s. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/5 "2015-01-05T19:22:11Z")
I’m sitting at my desk at work eating my lunch right now, and it’s exactly 60. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/6 "2015-01-05T20:20:01Z")
I often check mine, because I can hear it in my ears. Often, when I wake in the morning, it is around 50, plus or minus a couple. Mid 50s later in the day. As I write, it’s 48, but that’s lower than usual. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/7 "2015-01-05T20:35:13Z")
Around 70bpm, but I take atenolol to reduce my heart rate. Without it, it runs between 90-95bpm. ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/8 "2015-01-05T20:46:47Z")
My suspicion that I’m a freak has been confirmed: 38. I guess I’ll go have a pacemaker fitted. 😕 Although this could be a good thing if it’s true that hearts are good for 3 billion beats. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/9 "2015-01-05T20:59:50Z")
Age 44, just measured 51 while sitting at my desk. In my early 20’s, I engaged in a lot of aerobic activity; my resting pulse was often just under 40. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/10 "2015-01-05T21:00:02Z")
I donated blood this morning, and my pulse rate was 68. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/11 "2015-01-05T21:48:43Z")
Nowadays, 34-36. A decade ago, 29-32ish, which was usually enough to make the plant nurse think I was in imminent danger of fainting away. It’s from hypothyroidism + swimming; my blood pressure is also on the low side. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/12 "2015-01-05T21:50:10Z")
I’ve got one of those little wrist monitors, and take a reading every Monday. Over the past two years, the average is 70, but it’s been going up steadily, and runs mostly in the mid 80s. (And this is while using Atenolol and Lisinopril to reduce high blood pressure!) (And, doggone, I hate the “Lisinopril cough.”) ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/13 "2015-01-05T21:52:24Z")
It’s usually in the low 60’s, but I just took it and it was 68. So there you go. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/14 "2015-01-05T22:00:48Z")
1. Before I was on metoprolol, it was almost never below 90. I think I’ll probably live longer now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/15 "2015-01-05T22:58:50Z")
When I went to the doctor a couple months ago it was 42. It’s raised eyebrows when I’ve donated blood, but it’s from running. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/16 "2015-01-05T23:10:18Z")
What is this “resting” thing you speak of? :o ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/17 "2015-01-05T23:12:12Z")
I’ve never tested my own heart rate, but at the doctor’s office it’s typically low 60s. I’d like it to be lower at my age (56); I am stepping up my walks to trots. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/18 "2015-01-05T23:38:04Z")
I believe it’s typically 60. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/19 "2015-01-06T00:56:41Z")
I chose 30-39 which is what it was when they installed a pacemaker. Actually 30-33. Now it is an invariant 60 (well I guess it can above with heavy exercise, which is rare). ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051/20 "2015-01-06T00:58:23Z")
Right now it’s 72 but sometimes it’s around 80. It’s been hard to get accurate readings when I go to the doctor because I get white coat syndrome and there it’s usually around 100 due to anxiety. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-resting-heart-rate/709051.md?page=2)