Resting Heart Rate by Age: Chart for Men & Women
Short answer: a normal adult resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute, and it barely changes with age. In CDC data on 14,000 healthy adults, the median was about 69 bpm for men and 71-74 bpm for women at every adult age. Half of all adults sit roughly between 61 and 77 bpm (men) and 64 and 82 bpm (women). Below your age group's median is good; consistently above 90 is worth a closer look.
The charts below give you the full picture by age and sex, then show what actually matters more than any chart: how your own number moves over weeks.
Resting heart rate is a wellness signal, not a diagnosis. The ranges below describe healthy people. If your heart rate is unusual and you have symptoms, talk to a doctor.
Resting heart rate chart by age
These numbers come from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 1999-2008: 14,200 adults without a condition or medication that affects heart rate, measured after sitting quietly for about four minutes. Percentiles tell you where you stand: the 50th percentile is the middle, the 25th-75th is where half of all people fall.
Men
| Age | Average | 10th | 25th | Median (50th) | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-39 | 71 | 55 | 61 | 69 | 76 | 84 |
| 40-59 | 71 | 55 | 61 | 68 | 77 | 85 |
| 60-79 | 70 | 54 | 60 | 67 | 75 | 84 |
| 80+ | 71 | 54 | 61 | 68 | 78 | 86 |
Women
| Age | Average | 10th | 25th | Median (50th) | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-39 | 76 | 60 | 66 | 74 | 82 | 89 |
| 40-59 | 73 | 59 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 |
| 60-79 | 73 | 59 | 64 | 70 | 78 | 86 |
| 80+ | 73 | 59 | 64 | 71 | 77 | 85 |
Beats per minute. Source: Ostchega et al., National Health Statistics Reports No. 41, CDC (2011), tables 2 and 3.
Two things stand out. First, age changes resting heart rate very little in adults: a healthy 70-year-old man has almost the same median as a 25-year-old. Second, women run about 3-5 bpm higher than men, most clearly before 40. Women's hearts are smaller on average, so each beat moves a little less blood.
What is a good resting heart rate?
"Normal" and "good" are not the same thing. Normal is 60-100 bpm. Good is lower within that range:
| Resting heart rate | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Under 60 | Common in fit people and endurance athletes. Fine if you feel well |
| 60-69 | Good. Below the median for most adults |
| 70-79 | Average |
| 80-89 | Above average. Worth improving with exercise and sleep |
| 90-100 | High-normal. Worth a conversation with a doctor if it stays here |
| Over 100 | Tachycardia. See a doctor, especially with symptoms |
Why lower is better: in a 2016 meta-analysis of 46 studies and 1.2 million people, every 10 bpm higher resting heart rate came with about 9% higher risk of death from any cause and 8% from cardiovascular disease. People above 80 bpm had a 45% higher all-cause risk than those with the lowest rates. A low resting heart rate is mostly a sign of a strong, efficient heart and good fitness.
Low resting heart rate: when is it too low?
Below 60 bpm is called bradycardia, but for many people it is simply fitness. In the CDC data, 15% of healthy men and 7% of healthy women had a resting heart rate under 60. Trained runners and cyclists often sit in the 40s.
A low heart rate is worth checking if it comes with dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain or unusual tiredness, or if it dropped suddenly without a change in training. Some medications, beta-blockers in particular, also lower it.
High resting heart rate: what pushes it up
Fewer than 2% of healthy adults have a resting heart rate above 100. More often, a number in the 80s or 90s, or one that has risen over a few weeks, has an everyday cause:
- Poor or short sleep. One bad night can add several beats the next day.
- Illness. A rise of 5+ bpm is often the first sign of a cold or infection, a day or two before symptoms.
- Alcohol. Even two drinks in the evening can lift the overnight heart rate noticeably.
- Stress and anxiety.
- Dehydration and heat.
- Caffeine and nicotine.
- Overtraining. A resting rate that stays raised for days after hard training means you have not recovered.
- Low fitness or excess weight.
- Medical causes such as an overactive thyroid, anaemia or heart rhythm problems.
If your resting heart rate stays above 90 for weeks, or is above 100 at rest, get it checked.
How to measure your resting heart rate
The best time is in the morning, right after you wake up, before coffee and before getting out of bed. Count your pulse at your wrist or neck for 30 seconds and double it, or use a wearable. An Apple Watch measures it automatically throughout the day while you are still; it is accurate to within a few beats of a chest strap for most people (see Apple Watch resting heart rate accuracy).
No watch to hand? You can check it with your phone or laptop camera in 45 seconds: online heart rate monitor (heart rate, HRV and a stress estimate).
One reading means little. Your 7-day average is the number to compare with the chart, and the 30-day trend is what tells you whether something is changing.
How to lower your resting heart rate
- Aerobic exercise, 150+ minutes a week. Brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming. This is the most reliable lever: several beats per minute lower within 2-3 months is typical, more for people starting from low fitness.
- Sleep 7-9 hours, on a regular schedule.
- Cut back on alcohol, especially in the evening.
- Lose excess weight. Heart rate tends to fall as weight comes off.
- Manage stress. Slow breathing, time outdoors and regular breaks all lower sympathetic drive.
- Stay hydrated.
Resting heart rate is even more useful next to heart rate variability. A rising resting heart rate with a falling HRV is one of the clearest signs your body is under strain. See good HRV by age for what a normal HRV looks like.
Track your resting heart rate trend
The chart tells you where you stand today. The trend tells you whether what you are doing is working, and warns you early when something is off.
Bodly reads your resting heart rate and HRV from your Apple Watch every day and turns them into a daily recovery score, next to your sleep, stress, weight and calories. You see your own 7-day and 30-day baseline, so a 6-beat jump after a bad week stands out instead of hiding in a list of numbers. It is free to use, no trial needed.
Keep reading
- Apple Watch Resting Heart Rate: Normal & Accurate?
- Good HRV by Age: What's Normal?
- Heart Rate Recovery by Age: What's a Good Number?
- How to Increase HRV
Sources
- Ostchega Y, et al. Resting Pulse Rate Reference Data for Children, Adolescents, and Adults: United States, 1999-2008. National Health Statistics Reports No. 41, CDC (2011)
- Zhang D, Shen X, Qi X. Resting heart rate and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the general population: a meta-analysis. CMAJ (2016)
Frequently asked questions
For adults, the median resting heart rate barely changes with age: about 69 bpm for men and 71-74 bpm for women from age 20 to 80+, in CDC data on 14,000 healthy adults. The middle half of adults sit roughly between 61 and 77 bpm (men) and 64 and 82 bpm (women). The clinical normal range is 60-100 bpm.
Lower is generally better, within reason. Below the median for your age and sex (under about 68 bpm for men, under about 71 for women) puts you in the healthier half. In a 2016 meta-analysis of 1.2 million people, every 10 bpm higher resting heart rate came with about 9% higher risk of death from any cause.
Women's resting heart rate runs about 3-5 bpm higher than men's. In the CDC reference data, women aged 20-39 have a median of 74 bpm (middle half 66-82), and women 40 and over a median of 70-71 bpm (middle half 64-79).
Not if you feel well. About 15% of healthy men and 7% of healthy women have a resting heart rate under 60, and endurance athletes often sit in the 40s or low 50s. A low heart rate with dizziness, fainting, breathlessness or unusual tiredness is worth checking with a doctor.
Above 100 bpm at rest is tachycardia, and fewer than 2% of healthy adults are there. Many cardiologists already treat a resting rate consistently above 90 as worth investigating. A rate that has crept up by 5-10 bpm over a few weeks is also a signal: poor sleep, illness, stress, alcohol or overtraining are common causes.
Regular aerobic exercise is the most reliable way: most people see a drop of several beats per minute within 2-3 months of consistent training. Better sleep, less alcohol, staying hydrated, managing stress and losing excess weight all help too.
Related reading
Apple Watch Sleep Score: How It Works and What's a Good Score
How Apple Watch calculates your Sleep Score (duration 50, bedtime 30, interruptions 20), what each range means, why it can feel too generous, and how to raise each part.
What Is HRV? Heart Rate Variability Explained Simply
HRV is the tiny variation in time between heartbeats. What it measures, RMSSD vs SDNN, what's normal for your age, what lowers and raises it, and how to measure it.
Apple Watch HRV: What's Normal and How Accurate?
What a normal Apple Watch HRV looks like (with data from 61 users), how the watch measures it, why it reads lower than WHOOP or Oura, how accurate it is and how to use your trend.