Do you sometimes feel like your heart is beating faster when you're climbing stairs, running after a bus, or when something scary happens? Or do you sometimes feel like your chest is pounding for no reason? This is what we call your pulse, or heart rate. This is a simple, yet very important thing that tells a lot about your health. So how can you measure it accurately at home, and what are the most important things you need to know about it? Let's talk about it all in a simple way today.
What exactly is a pulse?
Simply put, your pulse is the number of times your heart beats, or beats, per minute. It's like a water pump in your home. When the heart pumps, or contracts, it pumps blood at a high pressure into the arteries throughout your body.
When you check your pulse, you can feel the pressure in your arteries increase with each heartbeat. It's like holding a water pipe and letting the water flow through it. The heart rests for a moment between beats, and the pressure in your arteries decreases again. That's why the pulse feels like it's being pushed, not the same pressure.
What are the best places to check your pulse?
In fact, we can feel our pulse in several places on our bodies. We can feel our pulse in the wrist, neck, inside of the elbow, and even the top of the leg. This is because these places have large arteries very close to the skin.
But the easiest and most commonly used of these is the wrist. So let's learn that method first.
Here's the correct way to check your pulse at home!
There is no need to prepare much before taking your pulse. However, if you have just come from a run or are tired, your pulse rate will be higher. If you want to know your pulse rate at rest, sit in a chair and take it for about 5 minutes.
How to check your pulse from your wrist
This is the easiest way. Follow these steps.
1. Hold your hand correctly: Turn one of your hands so that the palm is facing up.
2. Place your fingers: Now take the index, middle, and ring fingers (the middle three fingers) of your other hand and place them on your wrist, just below the base of your thumb, in a small groove.
3. Press lightly: Now press gently with your fingertips. You will feel a subtle 'tick tick'. That is your pulse. If you don't feel it sometimes, try moving your fingers around a bit and pressing a little harder.
Important: Never use your thumb to check your pulse. Because the thumb has its own pulse rate, you may get an inaccurate reading.
4. Count: Using a watch or a stopwatch on your phone, count the number of beats you feel for 30 seconds .
5. Multiply by two: Multiply the number you counted by two. For example, if you counted 40 beats in 30 seconds, 40 x 2 = 80. So your heart rate is 80 beats per minute (80 bpm).
How to check your pulse from your neck
Some people have difficulty finding their pulse at the wrist. In such cases, it may be easier to check at the neck.
1. Place your fingers: Take your index and middle fingers and place them on one side of your neck, just below the collarbone and across from the windpipe.
2. Press and feel: Press slowly until you feel a pulse. If you don't feel it, try moving your fingers around a bit.
3. Count: As before, count the number of heartbeats for 30 seconds and multiply that number by two.
For a quick check, you can also count your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply that number by 4.
What should be the normal pulse rate?
This varies depending on factors such as age, physical fitness, etc. We are talking about the normal values that should be present at rest (resting heart rate), without any exercise.
| Age group | Average heart rate (bpm) |
|---|---|
| Children (ages 6 to 15) | 70 - 100 |
| Adults (ages 18 and above) | 60 - 100 |
If you exercise regularly and are in good physical condition, your resting heart rate may be lower. For example, it is normal for athletes to have a resting heart rate between 40 and 60.
Heart rate drops during exercise
It's normal for your heart to beat faster when you exercise. Your muscles need more oxygen at that time, so your heart has to pump more blood. There's a simple way to find your maximum heart rate for your age:
220 - your age = maximum heart rate
Imagine you are 40 years old. Then `220 - 40 = 180`. That is your maximum heart rate. When you exercise, a healthy level is between 50% and 70% of this value.
Do you feel that your heart rate is abnormal? Find out these things
Sometimes the pulse rate can be slow or fast. You don't need to be afraid of it all the time. But there are some situations that you should be concerned about.
| Status | Description and what to pay attention to |
|---|---|
| If the pulse is irregular (Irregular Pulse) | |
| If it happens rarely | It can be normal to feel like you're missing a beat or two (arrhythmia) sometimes. If this happens infrequently, there's nothing to worry about. |
| If it happens frequently and there are other symptoms | If this happens frequently, and is accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pain , be sure to see your doctor. |
| If the pulse rate is low (less than 60 beats per minute) - (Bradycardia) | |
| Situations where there is no need to be afraid | - If you are a player in good physical condition. - When you're sleeping. - If you are taking certain medications for high blood pressure (e.g. beta-blockers). |
| When to see a doctor | If you experience symptoms such as fainting, extreme fatigue, or dizziness along with a slow pulse, seek medical advice. |
| If the pulse rate is high (more than 100 beats per minute) - (Tachycardia) | |
| Situations where there is no need to be afraid | - When exercising or physically straining. - When there is a state of dehydration. - When you have a fever or infection. |
| When to see a doctor | If your pulse rate is consistently above 100 even when you are at rest and healthy, and you experience things like dizziness or palpitations , it could be a sign of a medical condition. Therefore, it is important to see a doctor. |
What things affect the rate at which our pulse falls?
Our heart rate doesn't stay the same. It changes with different times of the day and activities. There are several main factors that affect this.
- Posture: Your pulse rate can vary depending on the position you are in. For example, if you suddenly stand up from a sitting position, your pulse rate may increase slightly for the first 15-20 seconds.
- Emotions: Your heart rate increases when you feel afraid, anxious, stressed, or overly happy.
- Medications: Some medications, especially beta-blockers for high blood pressure, can slow down the heart rate. Some medications for asthma can also increase the rate.
- Weather: On days when the ambient temperature or humidity is high, the heart has to pump more blood to cool the body. This can cause the heart rate to increase.
- Body size: People who are obese, meaning those with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, may have a slightly higher heart rate than normal.
Being aware of your pulse is like looking at the meter on your car's dashboard. It gives you an instant idea of your health. Doing this regularly is a good way to get into the habit of paying attention to your health.
Take-Home Message
- Measuring your pulse is a very easy way to gain a simple understanding of your heart health.
- The best and easiest place to check your pulse is your wrist. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by two to get the one-minute value.
- The normal resting heart rate for a healthy adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. This may be lower in those who exercise regularly.
- If your heart rate is abnormally slow (bradycardia), fast (tachycardia), or irregular (arrhythmia), along with other symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, see your doctor immediately.
- Keep in mind that many things, such as your emotions, the medications you take, and the ambient temperature, can affect your heart rate.
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