How much do you know about your pulse? Probably not a lot.
It represents the number of times our heart beats per minute and signals the changes which happen to our health. There is a normal heart rate, but it varies across people. Every person has a different normal pulse which is influenced by a lot of
factors.
It’s the main indicator of heart problems, but also of other ailments in our organism. Plenty of digital health platforms offer information on heart rate, such as https://digitalhealthbuzz.com/.
In order to understand what your pulse is trying to tell you about your health, you need to learn some basic information about it.
Table of Contents
What is the normal heart rate?
Normal pulse is the one you have when you are resting. It means not doing any physical activity or going through stressful situation. You are simply sitting and feeling relaxed. It’s considered to be between 60 and 100 beats per minute and it usually varies with age. Kids have faster pulse, above 100 beats, while for elderly people is completely normal to be even below 60.
Age is not the only factor which has influence on it. Your heart can beat faster when you are anxious or beat slower if you take some medicine like beta-blockers. In addition, it’s not strange for sportsmen to have low resting rate, as continuous physical activity improves the pumping of blood in the heart and it beats in a steadier manner.
Which other factors influence the pulse?
The temperature of the air and the levels of humidity affect your heartbeat. These changes usually happen when the weather gets hotter, especially in the summer period. The rise in temperature means increasing of the pulse. It’s not a serious threat to your health, but you should avoid exposing yourself in the heat or extreme humidity.
Body posture has a lot to do with the heartbeat. If you are in a sitting or a lying position, you heart beats slower, because in this position the heart pumps more blood per beat. If you are in a standing position, it is slightly higher due to the influence of gravity on blood flow.
You should be careful when switching from one position to another as quick changes can lead to fainting. A lot of people feel slight dizziness when they get up, after being in a lying posture for a long time.
Various emotions can affects your pulse in a way of increasing it. Whenever you feel angry, anxious, stressed or even depressed, your body produces cortisol, the hormone of stress. Therefore, your organism must fight this stress and during the fight your heartbeat goes up.
This also happens when you are extremely happy or excited while impatiently waiting for something. Click here to read more about the influence of emotions on your heartbeat.
Pulse can be slowed down by taking some medicaments like beta-blockers, because these pills block the adrenaline in your organism. However, if you exaggerate with the dosage, they can have an opposite effect.
What can it indicate?
Believe it or not, pulse can indicate the quality of sleep. If you didn’t sleep good and spent the previous night moving from one side of the bed to the other, your heartbeat will show it. It will be higher than usual.
Also it can indicate whether you skipped a meal or ate more than you should. If you missed your breakfast or lunch, your pulse will be weaker. On the other hand, eating a larger meal increases it, so make sure you have a normal and balanced diet.
Furthermore, change of beat shows signs of heart problems like arrhythmia, bradycardia or tachycardia. If you experience an extreme change, you should immediately consult with your doctor.
Wrap up
Your pulse is something you shouldn’t take for granted. It’s a good habit to measure it when you feel a sudden change.
This change is not serious if it’s caused by physical activity or emotional misbalance. You shouldn’t panic in these situations, as they are normal. However, anything out of the ordinary should be checked in more details.
Listen to your heart for better health!