Your heart rate, or pulse, represents the number of times your heart beats in a single minute. This rhythmic pumping action indicates cardiovascular well-being. Monitoring your heart rate offers insights into how your body functions, at rest and during activity. Understanding a typical heart rate helps assess health and recognize when changes warrant attention.
The Normal Resting Range
For a 17-year-old female, the normal resting heart rate aligns with that of an adult, generally falling within 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). “Resting” signifies a state of calm, where you are sitting or lying down, without recent physical exertion or emotional stress. To measure your pulse, place your index and middle fingers on the thumb side of your wrist, or on your neck. Count the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds, then multiply that number by four to determine beats per minute. Highly conditioned athletes may exhibit a resting heart rate below 60 bpm, sometimes as low as 40 bpm, reflecting excellent cardiovascular fitness.
Factors That Affect Heart Rate
Numerous internal and external factors can temporarily fluctuate your heart rate. Your emotional state, such as stress, anxiety, or excitement, can increase heartbeats. Similarly, certain substances like caffeine and nicotine, along with some medications, influence heart rate.
Physical conditions also play a role; a fever, illness, or dehydration can speed up your heart rate. Body temperature, both hot and cold, and changes in body position, such as standing up, can alter heart rate. These variations are normal and temporary responses.
Heart Rate and Exercise
Physical activity naturally prompts your heart rate to increase, a healthy response as your heart pumps more oxygenated blood to muscles. To gauge workout intensity, consider your maximum heart rate (MHR) and target heart rate zones. Estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For a 17-year-old, this would be approximately 203 bpm (220 – 17).
Exercising within a target heart rate zone, between 50% and 85% of your maximum heart rate, offers cardiovascular benefits. For moderate activity, aim for 50-70% of your maximum heart rate; for vigorous activity, 70-85%.
When a Heart Rate Is a Concern
While heart rate fluctuates normally, a consistently abnormal resting rate may indicate an issue. Tachycardia is a resting heart rate persistently above 100 bpm. Conversely, bradycardia is a resting heart rate consistently below 60 bpm, unless you are a trained athlete.
The numerical value alone isn’t always a problem, as temporary factors can influence it. However, if an unusual heart rate is accompanied by other symptoms, medical advice is advisable. Symptoms that warrant a doctor’s visit include:
- Dizziness
- Fainting spells
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Persistent fatigue