A good resting heart rate for most adults is usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute. For many healthy adults, a rate in the 60s or low 70s is often considered a favorable range, but the best number depends on fitness level, age, health conditions, and usual patterns.
People who are very physically active may have a resting heart rate in the 40s or 50s without a problem. A lower rate can reflect better cardiovascular fitness, but it may also be related to medication effects or a heart rhythm issue in some people.
Resting heart rate can change with stress, sleep, activity, body weight, medications, and time of day. It is more useful to track the rate over several days under similar resting conditions than to rely on one reading.
A resting heart rate that stays above 80 may deserve closer attention, especially when other heart risk factors are present. A very low or unusually high rate should be checked if it causes dizziness, fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath, or unusual weakness. A primary care doctor or cardiologist can evaluate persistent changes, and heart medications should not be started or adjusted without medical guidance.