How to Lower Your Resting Heart Rate

Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute while you are relaxed and still, ideally after a calm spell of sitting or first thing in the morning. It is one of the easiest health measures to keep an eye on at home, and many people become curious about it once a fitness tracker starts displaying it on their wrist.

In general, a heart that does not have to work as hard at rest is a sign that the body is coping comfortably. But resting heart rate is personal. It depends on age, genes, fitness, medicines and much more, and a lower number is not automatically better for everyone. This guide covers everyday habits that may help bring it down over time. It is general information, not a treatment plan.

Know your starting point

Before changing anything, find out what is normal for you. Our step-by-step guide on how to check your pulse explains how to take an accurate reading at the wrist or neck. Try measuring at the same time each morning for a week or two, before caffeine and before getting busy, and jot the numbers down. A trend is far more meaningful than any single day.

Why the number moves

It is normal for resting heart rate to go up and down. Things that often push it higher for a while include:

• a short or disturbed night's sleep
• stress, worry or a busy, rushed day
• caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
• being unwell, especially with a fever
• hot weather or not drinking enough fluids
• certain medicines

Seeing a higher figure after a bad night or during a cold is not usually a cause for worry. What matters more is the pattern across weeks.

Habits that may help

Move most days, and build up slowly

Regular aerobic activity, the kind that makes you breathe a little harder while still being able to talk, is the habit most often linked with a lower resting heart rate. Brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing and gentle jogging all count. Start at a level that feels manageable and add a little more time or pace every week or two. Consistency over months matters much more than one heroic session.

If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or any symptoms such as chest discomfort on exertion, talk to your GP before stepping up your activity.

Protect your sleep

Poor sleep tends to show up in the next morning's reading. Regular bed and wake times, a dark and cool bedroom and a calmer final hour of the day all support better rest. The notes on how long it should take to fall asleep offer practical ideas.

Give stress an outlet

Ongoing stress keeps the body on alert. Slow breathing, where the out-breath is a little longer than the in-breath, can feel settling in the moment. Over the longer term, time outdoors, hobbies, talking things through with someone you trust and setting limits on work all help. If stress or anxiety feels hard to manage, your GP can talk you through the support available.

Look at what is in your cup

Cutting back on caffeine, especially later in the day, is an easy change to test. Alcohol and nicotine also tend to raise heart rate. If you smoke, stopping is one of the most valuable things you can do for your heart, and free support is often available through your GP or a local service.

Drink enough and eat well

Mild dehydration can make the heart work a little harder, so keep water within reach through the day, more so in hot weather. A varied diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and pulses supports heart health more broadly, as does working towards a weight that is healthy for you.

A realistic timeline

Everyone responds differently, so compare yourself only with your own earlier readings.

When to see a GP

Contact your GP if your resting pulse is often very fast or very slow compared with what is usual for you, if it feels irregular, or if you notice palpitations, dizziness, unusual breathlessness or tiredness. Seek emergency help straight away for chest pain, fainting or severe shortness of breath. If you take medicine that affects heart rate, do not change or stop it without speaking to the prescriber or a pharmacist first.