Resting heart rate of a woman - average values and influencing factors

Resting heart rate, or RHR (from the English 'resting heart rate'), averages between 60-80 beats per minute in the population and is an important indicator of health and fitness. This value represents the number of heart contractions per minute when the body is awake and at rest, that is, without physical exertion or mental strain.¹ A lower RHR often indicates better physical fitness and more efficient heart function. A higher RHR may be linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.²

What is a normal heart rate in women?

The average resting heart rate in adult women ranges between 78 and 82 beats per minute. This value is influenced by age and may be affected by a range of factors: your mental state, the level of stress, hormones, body weight, physical activity, pregnancy, the menstrual cycle and your overall lifestyle.³

RHR can be measured during an ECG examination, while having your blood pressure measured at the doctor's, or you can measure it yourself at home. These days, a watch with an optical heart rate sensor is enough to give a good indication of your resting heart rate. If you do not have a watch, you can measure your resting heart rate manually as well.²

Resting heart rate table - women (bpm/min)

Age	18-25	26-35	36-45	46-55
Athlete	40-48	42-46	45-49	48-54
Excellent	61-65	60-64	60-64	61-65
Good	66-69	65-68	65-69	66-69
Above average	70-73	69-72	70-73	70-73
Average	74-78	73-76	74-77	74-77
Below average	79-84	77-82	78-83	78-83
Poor	85+	83+	83+	84+

Source: medicinenet.com

What is a dangerous resting heart rate for women?

If your RHR stays for a long time above the values of the average range, you need to pay attention.

Tachycardia:

A dangerous resting heart rate is considered to be the state known as tachycardia, when the RHR reaches more than 80 beats per minute. High RHR values may signal health problems such as vascular and heart disease. This condition requires medical attention, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as dizziness or light-headedness.⁴

Bradycardia:

Physically active women with a good lifestyle may reach values lower than 60 beats / min. We call this state bradycardia and for athletes it is not a problem, since their heart is more efficient. On the other hand, if you do not exercise and do not live an active life, bradycardia again requires medical attention because states of dizziness, light-headedness, weakness, fatigue, breathlessness or fainting may occur.⁵

Why does heart rate differ between men and women?

The average heart rate differs between men and women because of differences in the size and physiology of the heart. The reason is that in women the heart is usually smaller, and therefore it has to contract more often to pump the same amount of blood as the larger male heart. This difference becomes greater after puberty, when the male heart usually grows 15 to 30 % more than the female one.³

How does your period affect your resting heart rate?

Because of fluctuating hormones, the resting heart rate in women changes slightly too. There is usually a slight increase in heart rate during ovulation and the week after it. Conversely, during menstruation and the week after it the heart rate falls slightly.³

How does pregnancy affect heart rate?

Pregnancy significantly affects the resting heart rate. The heart of pregnant women works harder to pump a sufficient amount of blood into the uterus, which leads to an average increase in heart rate to roughly 90 beats per minute. In addition, the volume of blood the heart pumps increases by 30 to 50 %. Pregnant women who exercise may then see a naturally higher heart rate.

If your watch or blood pressure monitor reports an arrhythmia, in most cases there is nothing to worry about. Minor heart arrhythmias are common in pregnancy. In most cases these arrhythmias do not cause complications and pass without treatment. More serious arrhythmias, such as diastolic heart murmurs, may require treatment.

What affects the resting heart rate in women?

Apart from pregnancy and the menstrual cycle, the resting heart rate is affected by these factors:

1. Age: the resting heart rate may change with age. It usually rises in early childhood and gradually falls during adulthood.

2. Sex: on average women have an RHR 2-7 beats per minute higher than men, which is due to physiological differences.

3. Body weight and obesity: a higher body weight is often linked to a higher RHR, while a healthy weight usually supports a lower RHR.

4. Emotions: stress, anxiety and even happiness can raise the RHR.

5. Body position: sitting can raise the RHR by 3 beats per minute compared with lying down. Standing can raise the RHR too.

6. Medication and infection: some medicines, such as antidepressants and beta blockers, can lower the RHR. Infections with a fever, on the other hand, can raise the RHR.

7. Air temperature: in hot weather the RHR may rise, usually by no more than 10 beats per minute.

8. Smoking and caffeine: smoking and drinking coffee before a measurement can raise the RHR.

9. Thyroid function: hyperthyroidism can cause a higher RHR, while hypothyroidism can lead to a lower RHR.

10. Anaemia: a low haemoglobin level can raise the RHR.⁶

In conclusion

The resting heart rate is an indicator of your overall fitness and health, with lower values usually linked to better health outcomes. In most adults the normal resting heart rate is between 60-80 beats per minute. In athletes or people who regularly do demanding physical activity it may be lower. You can improve your resting heart rate with regular exercise, by giving up smoking, reducing your intake of alcohol and caffeine and achieving better mental wellbeing.

If you have any doubts, long-lasting feelings of sickness, or if you keep measuring an increased or reduced RHR over a long period, we recommend contacting your GP without delay and insisting on an ECG examination (never settle for having your RHR measured at the GP's with a blood pressure monitor alone).

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References:

1. https://www.nzip.cz/rejstrikovy-pojem/5649
2. https://www.verywellhealth.com/resting-heart-rate-by-age-5218932
3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17644-women-and-heart-rate
4. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/about-arrhythmia/tachycardia--fast-heart-rate
5. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/about-arrhythmia/bradycardia--slow-heart-rate
6. https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_a_good_resting_heart_rate_by_age/article.htm