You can feel your pulse anywhere an artery runs close to the skin’s surface, but the two easiest spots are the inside of your wrist and the side of your neck. All you need are two fingers, a clock, and about 60 seconds. A normal resting heart rate for adults falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
The Wrist (Radial Pulse)
The wrist is the most common place to check your own pulse. The radial artery runs along the inside of your forearm from your elbow to your thumb, and it sits just beneath the skin on the thumb side of your wrist.
Turn one hand so your palm faces up. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers on the inside of your opposite wrist, just below the base of your thumb. You should feel a soft, rhythmic tapping. If you don’t feel anything right away, shift your fingers slightly toward the center of your wrist or adjust your pressure. Too much force can actually flatten the artery and block the pulse, so press gently.
Don’t use your thumb. Your thumb has its own pulse, and it can interfere with what you’re trying to count.
The Neck (Carotid Pulse)
The carotid pulse is stronger than the wrist pulse, which makes it useful when you’re exercising or checking someone else’s pulse in an emergency. The carotid artery runs along each side of your neck, right next to your windpipe.
Place the tips of your index and middle fingers in the groove between your windpipe and the large muscle that runs down the side of your neck. Press lightly until you feel the beat. A few important rules here: only press on one side at a time. Pressing both carotid arteries simultaneously can restrict blood flow to your brain, causing dizziness or fainting. Also, keep your fingers positioned on the middle or lower part of your neck. Pressing too high, near the angle of your jaw, can stimulate a pressure-sensitive area called the carotid sinus, which may slow your heart rate and make you lightheaded.
If your doctor has told you that you have plaque buildup in your neck arteries, skip this method and use your wrist instead.
How to Count Your Heart Rate
Once you feel the pulse, watch a clock or start a timer. The simplest approach is to count every beat you feel for 30 seconds, then double that number. That gives you your heart rate in beats per minute. For a quicker estimate, count for 10 seconds and multiply by six. The longer you count, the more accurate your reading, so the 30-second method is a good balance between speed and reliability.
While you’re counting, pay attention to the rhythm. A healthy pulse feels steady and evenly spaced, like a metronome. If you notice the beats feel irregular, with occasional pauses, extra taps, or an unpredictable pattern, that’s worth noting. Occasional skipped beats (premature heartbeats) are common and usually harmless, but a pulse that consistently feels erratic, unusually fast, or unusually slow is worth bringing up with a doctor.
What Your Number Means
For adults and teens 13 and older, a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute is considered normal. Athletes and people who are very physically fit often have resting rates in the 40s or 50s, because their hearts pump more blood per beat. Children run higher: toddlers typically range from 98 to 140 bpm, school-age kids from 75 to 118 bpm.
Keep in mind that your resting heart rate is a snapshot that shifts with circumstances. Caffeine, stress, anger, and fear all push it up. Being relaxed, well-rested, and still brings it down. For the most consistent reading, check your pulse first thing in the morning before you’ve had coffee or gotten out of bed. If you’re tracking it over time to spot trends, measuring under the same conditions each day gives you the most useful comparison.
Getting a Good Reading
A few details make the difference between a reliable reading and a frustrating one. Sit or lie down for at least a minute before checking, since your heart rate drops as your body settles. Keep your hand and wrist relaxed. Tensing the muscles in your forearm can make the radial pulse harder to find. If your fingers are cold, warm them up first, as cold fingertips are less sensitive to subtle pulsations.
Some people genuinely have a harder time finding their wrist pulse. Factors like body composition, lower blood pressure, or just the depth of the artery in your particular wrist can make it faint. If you consistently struggle at the wrist, the neck is a perfectly good alternative. You can also try the inside of your elbow (brachial pulse) or the top of your foot, where an artery runs between the tendons leading to your big toe and second toe. The foot pulse is faint and takes practice, but it’s there. For any of these spots, the technique is the same: fingertips, gentle pressure, patience.
Signs That Something Feels Off
Checking your pulse isn’t just about the number. The rhythm and strength of the beat carry information too. A pulse that feels like it’s fluttering, racing, or pounding in your chest, especially at rest, can signal an arrhythmia. Other symptoms that sometimes accompany irregular heart rhythms include lightheadedness, unusual fatigue, anxiety, and sweating.
Premature heartbeats, where it feels like your heart skipped a beat or added an extra one, happen to most people occasionally. They’re triggered by caffeine, stress, lack of sleep, and other everyday factors. On their own, they rarely indicate a serious problem. But if you notice a pattern of irregular beats, a resting heart rate consistently above 100 or below 60 (and you’re not an athlete), or if irregular rhythm comes with chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting, those are signs that warrant medical evaluation.