What is a normal resting heart rate?

The American Heart Association defines a normal resting heart rate as 60–100 bpm for adults. Well-trained athletes may have resting heart rates of 40–60 bpm, which is considered normal for their conditioning level. Values consistently above 100 bpm (tachycardia) or below 40 bpm without athletic context may warrant medical evaluation.

When should I measure my resting heart rate?

Measure RHR first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, ideally after at least 5 minutes of lying still. Wearables like Oura and Garmin measure overnight RHR automatically during sleep, which is the most accurate method as it avoids situational factors.

Does RHR change with age?

Normal RHR ranges remain relatively stable across adult age groups (60–100 bpm). However, maximum heart rate declines with age, and cardiovascular efficiency changes. Fitness level is a stronger predictor of RHR than age for most adults.

Resting Heart Rate Benchmark Tool — AHA Categories by Age

Overnight RHR recommended: Use your lowest overnight RHR from your wearable for the most accurate result. Morning spot checks may read 5–10 bpm higher due to movement and cortisol.

Age group

Sex

Resting Heart Rate (bpm)

AHA Heart Rate Classification

The American Heart Association defines resting heart rate categories for adults. While ranges don't vary dramatically by age, the athletic category threshold can shift slightly with conditioning level.

Category	RHR (bpm)	Interpretation
Athlete	< 50	Highly conditioned cardiovascular system; common in endurance athletes
Excellent	50–59	Above-average cardiovascular efficiency; consistent aerobic training
Good	60–69	Healthy range; moderate fitness level
Average	70–79	Normal adult range; typical sedentary to lightly active lifestyle
Elevated	80–99	High-normal; improved with regular aerobic exercise
Tachycardia	≥ 100	Above AHA adult normal; persistent values warrant medical review
Bradycardia	< 40	Below normal; normal for elite athletes, otherwise may require evaluation

Sex differences in RHR

Age Group	Males — Average RHR	Females — Average RHR
18–29	64–74 bpm	67–77 bpm
30–39	63–73 bpm	66–76 bpm
40–49	63–73 bpm	65–75 bpm
50–59	62–72 bpm	64–74 bpm
60+	62–72 bpm	63–73 bpm

Source: American Heart Association. Data from multiple large-scale epidemiological studies. Women average 2–7 bpm higher than men across age groups.

How wearables measure RHR

Most wearables capture RHR as the lowest heart rate sustained during sleep, typically measured in the early morning hours when sympathetic nervous system activity is lowest. This overnight method is more reliable than a manual morning spot check because it averages across multiple non-REM sleep cycles.

Device	RHR Method	Notes
Oura Ring	Lowest sustained HR during sleep	Typically 2–4 hours after sleep onset
Garmin	7-day rolling average of overnight minimums	Smoothed to reduce night-to-night variability
Whoop	Overnight HR during slow-wave sleep stages	Excludes awakenings and light sleep phases
Apple Watch	Lowest 1-minute average during sleep	Requires sleep tracking to be enabled

Not medical advice. This tool provides population reference data from published research. Resting heart rate is a single data point — it should be interpreted alongside other health indicators. If you have a consistently elevated or low resting heart rate and are not an athlete, consult a healthcare provider.

Resting Heart Rate Benchmark Tool

AHA Heart Rate Classification

Sex differences in RHR

How wearables measure RHR

Related on Nyxova