Facts About Exercising Affecting Your Heart Rate

Exercising has a direct affect on your heart rate. It can increase it in the short-term and decrease it in the long-term. Even so, heart rate isn’t always an accurate indicator of how vigorously you’re exercising. How you feel while exercising can be a more accurate way to tell how hard you’re working. For the most part, the more you work out, the more efficiently your heart will pump. It’s always beneficial to talk with your doctor before committing to a new workout routine to rule out any health conditions.

  1. About Your Resting Heart Rate

    • When just sitting around, your heart rate should be quite slow. This is called your resting heart rate or pulse and normally ranges between 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to MayoClinic.com. Exercising regularly helps to keep your resting heart rate low.

    Exercise Causes an Increase in Heart Rate

    • When you exercise, your heart rate increases. This is important for improving your heart health. Depending on your current health and endurance level, moderate or vigorous cardiovascular exercise like running, biking or swimming can accomplish this for you. According to the American Heart Association, you need to keep your heart rate within 50 to 85 percent of its maximum rate for 20 minutes. To get your “maximum” heart rate, subtract your current age from 220.

    Exercise Recovery

    • Following a workout, your heart rate should slowly come back down. This should take about five minutes. The time your heart rate needs to recover from exercise should decrease as you build up endurance and improve your overall fitness level. This occurs because less effort is needed to pump blood, and the heart muscle is more efficient in those who are physically fit, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.

    Heart Rate and Exercise in the Long Term

    • When you make exercise a regular part of your life and routine, it will have a positive impact on your heart rate. According to MayoClinic.com, athletes can have heart rates as low as 40 beats per minute, especially those who are well-trained and who participate in endurance-based activities like marathon running.