It is the true reflection of our physical condition, warns a cardiologist.
When we want to ensure that our heart is doing well, we turn to the annual blood test or the doctor’s blood pressure monitor. We monitor bad cholesterol levels, hypertension and even triglycerides. These indicators are essential, but they are not sufficient. According to a cardiologist, we often miss much more accessible data, capable of indicating the state of our heart in real time.
This is a specific measurement that does not judge the maximum performance of the heart, but the minimum energy necessary to maintain vital functions. She “gently reveals how strong your heart really is”explains Dr. Alok Chopra, cardiologist, in a video. This measurement indicates whether your heart is able to do its pumping work without straining and whether your body is truly relaxed or whether it remains under tension. It is carried out in absolute calm, when the body is not stressed by effort.
This measurement is none other than the resting heart rate. “This is one of the simplest and most powerful evidence of your cardiac fitness”says the cardiologist. We can get it “when you sit quietly or lie down”. Unlike exercise frequency which varies according to activity, this basic data is a basic indicator of the state of health of the heart. “A persistently high resting heart rate could mean your heart is under stress from lack of sleep, dehydration, anxiety, too much caffeine or medical conditions”warns the expert.
What is the ideal resting heart rate? For the vast majority of the population, the medical standard is well established: “a good frequency is between 60 and 80 beats per minute”says Dr. Chopra. Don’t panic, a lower frequency is not necessarily worrying. In athletes, for example, the heart muscle is so powerful that it requires fewer contractions to propel blood. “Their hearts can rest in the 40s and 50s”illustrates the doctor. While “a less trained heart may need 70 beats to handle the same volume of blood”. On the other hand “a jump upwards can be an early warning from the body.”
The doctor advises regularly monitoring your resting heart rate. “Track your resting heart rate over time. A jump up can indicate something is wrong before bigger problems present themselves.” To measure it yourself, place your index and middle fingers on the inside of your wrist (in line with your thumb), count the beats for 15 seconds, then multiply the result by four to get your rate per minute. Dr. Chopra finally reminds us that we can “train your heart with exercise, meditation, hydration and quality sleep” to stabilize this rhythm.
