Heart Rate

Overview

Your heart rate is simply the number of times your heart beats in one minute. You can feel it as your pulse — for example at your wrist or the side of your neck. For most adults, a resting heart rate (measured when you are calm and sitting still) is somewhere between 60 and 100 beats a minute. It speeds up when you move, feel stressed or have a fever, and slows down when you rest or sleep. That up-and-down is normal. A heart rate that stays too fast, too slow, or uneven can sometimes be a sign that something needs checking, but often it is just your body responding to everyday life.

Very common. Nearly everyone notices their heart racing, fluttering or pounding at some point — after climbing stairs, during a stressful day, or after coffee. Heart rhythm problems that need treatment also become more common with age, so doctors check heart rates every day.

Everyone has a heart rate, so this affects all ages. Athletes, pregnant women, children, older adults and people with heart, thyroid or blood conditions may notice bigger changes. Some people are simply more aware of their heartbeat than others.

Symptoms

Common symptoms

• Feeling your heart beating fast, hard or irregularly in your chest, throat or neck (doctors call this palpitations)
• A fluttering or 'flip-flop' feeling in the chest
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed
• Feeling unusually tired or low on energy
• Shortness of breath, especially with activity
• A pounding feeling in your ears or head when resting
• Feeling faint, or actually fainting
• Chest discomfort alongside a racing heart

Symptoms in children

• A baby or young child breathing fast, sweating, or tiring quickly during feeds
• Poor feeding or slow weight gain in babies
• A child saying their heart is 'beeping fast' or 'jumping'
• Fainting or near-fainting, especially during exercise or excitement
• Looking pale or unusually sleepy
• Older children may describe a sudden racing feeling that starts and stops on its own

Symptoms in older adults

• Dizziness, unsteadiness or falls that were not happening before
• New confusion or muddled thinking, which can be a sign of a heart rhythm problem
• Unusual tiredness or breathlessness doing things that used to be easy
• A heartbeat that feels irregular rather than simply fast
• Symptoms that are blamed on 'just getting older' but are new or getting worse

Causes

Main causes

• Everyday things: exercise, stress, anxiety, excitement, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, energy drinks, poor sleep or dehydration
• Fever or infection — heart rate normally rises about 10 beats for each degree of temperature
• Anaemia (low red blood cells, which carry oxygen), so the heart works harder
• An overactive or underactive thyroid gland
• Heart rhythm problems, such as atrial fibrillation (an irregular rhythm) or sudden bursts of fast heartbeat
• Problems with the heart's structure or valves
• Low or high levels of body salts such as potassium, sometimes from illness or dehydration
• Some prescribed medicines, including certain cold remedies, inhalers and blood pressure tablets
• Hormone changes, including pregnancy and the menopause
• Pain, fear or a panic attack

Risk factors

• Getting older — rhythm problems are more common later in life
• Existing heart disease, high blood pressure or previous heart attack
• Thyroid disease or diabetes
• Sleep apnoea (loud snoring with pauses in breathing at night)
• Being very overweight or very unfit, or suddenly doing much more exercise than usual
• Heavy alcohol use, smoking or stimulant drugs
• Long-term stress or anxiety
• A family history of heart rhythm problems or sudden cardiac death at a young age
• Dehydration, crash diets or prolonged vomiting and diarrhoea

When to see a doctor

See a doctor urgently if:

• Palpitations that last more than a few minutes or keep returning
• A resting pulse that is regularly over 100 or under 50 with dizziness, breathlessness or tiredness
• Fainting, near-fainting or unexplained falls
• Chest discomfort, even if mild, that comes with a racing or irregular heartbeat
• A new irregular pulse you can feel, particularly if you have heart disease or high blood pressure

Book a routine appointment if:

• You notice your heart beating hard or fast now and then but feel otherwise well
• Your smartwatch or fitness tracker keeps flagging an unusual heart rate
• You want to know what a healthy resting heart rate is for you
• You are starting a new exercise plan and want advice on safe targets
• You have a family history of heart rhythm problems and want to talk it through

Diagnosis

A doctor usually starts by asking what you felt, when it happened, and what you were doing at the time. They will feel your pulse and listen to your heart with a stethoscope. From there they may arrange simple tests to see what your heart is doing — often a tracing of your heartbeat, and sometimes a monitor to wear at home so a short-lived episode can be caught.

Tests that may be done

• Pulse check and listening to your heart with a stethoscope
• An ECG (electrocardiogram) — a quick, painless tracing of your heart's electrical activity
• A Holter or event monitor — a small wearable recorder worn for a day, a week, or longer, to catch episodes
• Blood tests to check thyroid, blood count, kidney function and body salts
• An echocardiogram — an ultrasound scan showing the heart's size, valves and pumping
• An exercise test, where your heart trace is recorded while you walk or cycle
• A check of your blood pressure and oxygen level
• Sometimes a review of your own wearable or phone health data, especially if it shows a pattern

What to expect at your appointment

Most of these tests are quick and painless. You may be asked to avoid caffeine for a few hours before an ECG. If your symptoms come and go, it can take more than one appointment to catch the cause — that is normal and not a sign anything is seriously wrong. Keep a simple note of when symptoms happen, what you were doing and how long they lasted; it genuinely helps your doctor.

Treatment

What happens next depends completely on the cause. In many cases no treatment is needed at all — you may simply be advised on fluids, sleep, caffeine and stress. If a condition such as an overactive thyroid, anaemia or an infection is found, treating that usually settles the heart rate. If a heart rhythm problem is found, there are several effective options, and your doctor will discuss which suits you.

Self-care at home

• Drink enough water through the day, and more in hot weather or when active
• Cut back on caffeine, energy drinks and alcohol, then see if symptoms change
• Aim for regular, steady sleep and a consistent bedtime
• Try slow breathing — breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six, for a few minutes
• Stop smoking, and avoid recreational stimulant drugs
• Build up exercise gradually rather than in sudden bursts
• Sit down and rest if you feel your heart racing; note how long it takes to settle
• Learn to take your own pulse, so you can describe it clearly to a doctor
• Ask your pharmacist to review your medicines, including cold and flu remedies, for anything that speeds the heart

Medical treatments

Treatment is always aimed at the cause. If a rhythm problem is found, doctors may suggest medicines that steady or slow the heartbeat, and sometimes medicines to reduce the risk of clots if the rhythm is irregular. Electrical techniques can reset an abnormal rhythm under sedation, and some people are taught simple physical manoeuvres to stop certain fast rhythms. Where an underlying condition such as thyroid disease, anaemia or sleep apnoea is found, treating that is the main step. Your healthcare team will explain the options, benefits and drawbacks for your situation, and you should never start or stop any medicine without their advice.

When is surgery considered?

Procedures are only considered when they are clearly the best option. A small procedure called catheter ablation — where a thin tube is guided to the heart to correct the tissue causing an abnormal rhythm — can cure some fast rhythms. Some people need a pacemaker (a small device that keeps the heartbeat from going too slow) or an implanted device that corrects a dangerous rhythm. These are specialist decisions made after full discussion with a heart team.

Living with this condition

Most people with a heart rate concern live completely normal lives. A useful habit is to note your pulse when you feel well, so you know your own normal. Then, if your heart races or flutters, you can describe it clearly: how fast, how long, what you were doing, and whether you felt dizzy or breathless. Keep taking your medicines as prescribed, go to your review appointments, and tell your doctor if anything changes.

Lifestyle tips

• Keep active most days — walking, swimming, cycling or whatever you enjoy
• Limit alcohol and avoid heavy drinking sessions
• Quit smoking; ask your doctor or pharmacist about local stop-smoking support
• Manage stress with things that work for you — walking, breathing exercises, hobbies, talking to someone
• Keep a healthy weight and get your blood pressure checked regularly
• Avoid getting dehydrated, especially with exercise, hot weather or illness
• Be careful with saunas, hot tubs and very intense exercise if heat makes your heart race
• Get treatment for loud snoring or breathing pauses in sleep

Diet and exercise

Eat a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans and lean protein, and go easy on very salty and heavily processed foods. Regular moderate exercise actually lowers your resting heart rate over time because your heart becomes more efficient. A rough guide for moderate activity is that you can talk but not sing. If you have a known heart rhythm problem, ask your doctor whether there are any limits for you — most people are encouraged to stay active.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing

Feeling your heart pound can be frightening, and worry about it can itself make your heart beat faster — a frustrating loop. Anxiety, panic and stress are very real causes of a racing heart, and living with an unpredictable rhythm can understandably affect mood and sleep. Talking therapies, breathing techniques and simple reassurance help a lot. If worry is affecting your daily life, tell your doctor — it is a common and treatable problem. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis helpline in your country straight away.

Prevention

You cannot control everything about your heart rate — age, genes and some illnesses play a part. But many of the things that push the heart rate out of balance are within your reach: staying hydrated, limiting caffeine and alcohol, not smoking, sleeping well, keeping active, managing stress and treating conditions like high blood pressure, thyroid problems and sleep apnoea. These steps also protect your heart in general.

Screening programmes

There is no routine screening test for heart rate as such, but your pulse is usually checked at any doctor visit, and blood pressure checks are offered regularly in most health systems. In the UK, the NHS Health Check for adults in midlife includes blood pressure and pulse. Many smartwatches now flag an irregular rhythm — treat these alerts as a prompt to see a doctor, not as a diagnosis.

Complications

If left untreated

• Some fast rhythms can make the heart less efficient, causing breathlessness, tiredness or fainting
• An untreated irregular rhythm such as atrial fibrillation raises the risk of a stroke over time
• Very slow heart rates can cause falls, dizziness and, rarely, collapse
• Ongoing symptoms can affect sleep, work, exercise and confidence
• The worry itself can become a problem, leading to anxiety and avoidance of activity

Long-term outlook

The outlook is generally very good. Most people who notice a change in their heart rate turn out to have a harmless, explainable cause, and most rhythm problems can be controlled or cured with modern care. Catching things early — especially an irregular rhythm — makes a real difference, because treatment can lower future risks. If you are being monitored or treated, keep your appointments, take medicines as advised, and tell your team about new symptoms. There is a lot that can be done, and most people carry on with full, active lives.

Find support

External links open third-party websites. Ruqelo Health is not responsible for external content. Listing an organisation does not imply endorsement.