A resting heart rate of 98 beats per minute falls within the standard “normal” range of 60 to 100 bpm, but it sits near the top of that range, and that distinction matters more than you might expect. While 98 bpm isn’t classified as tachycardia (which starts at 100 bpm), research suggests that resting heart rates consistently above 80 or 90 bpm are associated with real health risks, even though they’re technically normal on paper.
Why “Normal” Doesn’t Mean “Optimal”
The 60 to 100 bpm range has been the clinical standard for decades, and every major organization from the American Heart Association to the Mayo Clinic still uses it. But most healthy, relaxed adults actually have a resting heart rate below 90 bpm. The average resting heart rate for healthy people sits around 73 to 81 bpm depending on age and sex, which means 98 bpm is noticeably above average even if it’s not outside the official boundaries.
A large study published in the journal Heart tracked about 3,000 men over 16 years and found that higher resting heart rates were linked to lower physical fitness, higher blood pressure, greater body weight, and elevated blood fats. More strikingly, a resting heart rate between 81 and 90 doubled the risk of premature death compared to lower rates, and a rate above 90 tripled it. That doesn’t mean 98 bpm is dangerous on any given day, but if it’s your consistent resting rate, it’s worth paying attention to.
What Counts as Your True Resting Heart Rate
Before interpreting 98 bpm, make sure you’re actually measuring at rest. Your true resting heart rate is your pulse after you’ve been sitting or lying quietly for at least five minutes, ideally in the morning before coffee or activity. A reading taken after climbing stairs, during a stressful phone call, or while anxious in a doctor’s office doesn’t reflect your baseline.
Many things can temporarily push your heart rate into the upper 90s:
- Caffeine or nicotine within the past few hours
- Stress or anxiety, even low-level worry you’re not fully aware of
- Dehydration, which forces your heart to work harder to circulate less blood volume
- Poor sleep or sleep deprivation the night before
- Illness or fever, which naturally elevates heart rate
- Medications like decongestants, asthma inhalers, or some thyroid drugs
If 98 bpm showed up once on a smartwatch or at the doctor’s office, it may not represent your actual resting rate. Check it a few mornings in a row under calm conditions to get a reliable number.
How Age and Sex Affect Your Rate
Heart rate norms shift with both age and sex. A large real-world study using data from over 92,000 participants found that average resting heart rate decreases as you get older. Healthy adults aged 18 to 20 averaged about 82 bpm, while those aged 61 to 70 averaged around 73 bpm. So 98 bpm in a 25-year-old is closer to their age group’s upper range than 98 bpm in a 65-year-old, where it falls further from the norm.
Women tend to have resting heart rates about 4 to 5 bpm higher than men on average. Healthy women in the study averaged around 79 bpm compared to about 74 bpm for men. This means a woman with a rate of 98 bpm is still above average for her sex, but slightly less unusual than a man with the same rate. Regardless of sex, though, 98 bpm consistently at rest is on the high side for any adult.
What Fitness Level Has to Do With It
Your resting heart rate is one of the most straightforward reflections of cardiovascular fitness. The average sedentary person rests at 70 to 75 bpm. People who exercise regularly tend to sit between 50 and 60 bpm. Elite athletes can drop into the upper 30s. On the other end, a resting pulse of 80 to 90 or higher is generally a sign of low cardiovascular fitness.
This happens because a well-trained heart pumps more blood per beat (a stronger squeeze means fewer squeezes needed). If your resting rate is consistently near 98, your heart is working relatively hard just to keep up with baseline demands. The encouraging flip side: aerobic exercise is one of the most reliable ways to bring that number down over weeks and months.
How to Lower a High-Normal Heart Rate
If your resting heart rate regularly lands in the 90s, the most effective approach is consistent aerobic exercise. Walking briskly, cycling, swimming, or jogging for 30 minutes most days of the week can lower your resting heart rate by several beats per minute within a few weeks. Over months of regular training, drops of 10 to 20 bpm are common.
Beyond exercise, a few other habits make a measurable difference. Staying well hydrated helps your heart pump more efficiently. Reducing caffeine intake, especially later in the day, can bring your baseline down. Managing chronic stress through methods that work for you (whether that’s meditation, time outdoors, or simply better sleep) also helps, since stress hormones keep your heart rate elevated even when you’re sitting still.
When 98 BPM Signals Something Else
A resting rate of 98 bpm on its own isn’t an emergency. But if it’s accompanied by other symptoms, it could point to an underlying issue worth investigating. Chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath at rest, dizziness or lightheadedness, fainting episodes, or a sensation of your heart pounding or fluttering are all signs that something beyond fitness level may be driving the rate up.
Several medical conditions can elevate resting heart rate into the 90s and beyond: an overactive thyroid, anemia (low red blood cells), infections, and certain heart rhythm disorders. Some of these are easily treatable once identified. If your rate is persistently in the mid-to-upper 90s without an obvious explanation like caffeine or stress, and especially if it’s a change from your usual baseline, it’s worth getting checked. A simple blood test and electrocardiogram can rule out most common causes.