Resting Heart rate

This website is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

Summary

  • Resting heart rate (RHR) is your heart beats per minute when you are calm and resting, and it reflects how hard your heart has to work at baseline.
  • Higher RHR is consistently linked to higher all-cause mortality risk, partly because it tracks lower fitness, higher stress activation, and cardiometabolic strain.
  • Many large studies report that each +10 bpm higher RHR is associated with roughly 10–25% higher risk of death from all causes.
  • For most adults, lower-to-mid ranges are generally associated with better long-term outcomes, while persistently high RHR is a warning signal worth acting on.

Factor description

This factor measures your resting heart rate in beats per minute (bpm). RHR is ideally measured when you are fully at rest, commonly:

  • in the morning before getting out of bed, or
  • after sitting or lying quietly for several minutes

Measurement methods may differ:

  • Wearables (smartwatch/fitness tracker) estimate RHR continuously and usually report an average.
  • Manual pulse counting (wrist/neck) or medical devices can also measure bpm. Because RHR changes with sleep, illness, caffeine, stress, and recent exercise, a weekly average or repeated readings are more reliable than a single number.

Impact on all-cause mortality

  1. What studies typically show
  • Direction: higher resting heart rate is associated with higher all-cause mortality.
  • Dose-response: risk often rises gradually as RHR increases (frequently close to linear across common adult ranges).
  • Thresholds: very high RHR values (often 80+ bpm at rest) tend to show the strongest associations with premature death.
  • Very low RHR can be normal in well-trained people; in non-athletes, very low values together with symptoms (dizziness, fainting, unusual fatigue) may signal a problem.
  1. Why resting heart rate can predict mortality
  • Lower cardiorespiratory fitness: higher RHR often reflects a less efficient heart and lower aerobic conditioning, which is strongly linked to worse long-term health.
  • Autonomic nervous system imbalance: a persistently higher RHR can reflect higher sympathetic (stress) activity and lower parasympathetic (recovery) tone.
  • Higher cardiovascular strain: more beats per day can mean more cumulative workload on the heart and blood vessels over time.
  • Links to metabolic and inflammatory states: higher RHR is often seen alongside obesity, insulin resistance, smoking, poor sleep, and chronic stress, which raise the risk of major diseases that drive all-cause mortality.
  1. How it connects to causes of death
  • Cardiovascular disease: RHR is closely tied to cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes, which meaningfully affects all-cause mortality.
  • Other causes: because high RHR can be a marker of overall health status (fitness, stress, illness burden), it also relates to broader mortality risk beyond heart disease.

Patterns

  • Age: RHR often trends higher with lower fitness and higher disease burden; patterns can vary by age and health status.
  • Fitness and activity: endurance-trained people commonly have lower RHR; sedentary people often have higher RHR.
  • Temporary spikes: fever/infection, dehydration, poor sleep, alcohol, stress, pain, and caffeine can raise RHR for days.
  • Medications and conditions: thyroid disorders, anemia, and some medications can increase RHR; beta-blockers and some heart medications can lower it.
  • Smoking and stimulants: nicotine and frequent stimulant use are commonly linked to higher resting heart rate.
  • Measurement differences: wearable-derived RHR (averaged over time) may differ from a single manual reading taken at one moment.

KamaLama scoring

KamaLama uses a category-based, stepwise scoring model for resting heart rate. Lower resting heart rate is treated as beneficial (often reflecting better cardiovascular efficiency and fitness). As RHR rises, the score becomes more negative to reflect higher long-term risk. The model is based on ranges rather than a single exact bpm, because day-to-day variability is normal.

Category/RangeScore (in years)
Below 60 bpm+3.0
60-70 bpm0.0
70-80 bpm-2.0
Over 80 bpm-5.0

Practical tips

  • Measure correctly: check RHR in the morning before you get up, or after 5 minutes of quiet rest, and track a weekly average.
  • Start with easy daily movement: add a 10–20 minute walk most days, then slowly increase duration or pace.
  • Build aerobic fitness: aim toward regular moderate activity across the week (for example brisk walking, cycling, swimming).
  • Improve sleep basics: consistent bedtime/wake time, reduce late caffeine, and keep the bedroom dark and cool.
  • Reduce common triggers: limit nicotine, heavy alcohol use, and large caffeine doses if they raise your pulse.
  • Use simple stress downshifts: 5 minutes of slow breathing, short mindfulness sessions, or a calm evening routine can lower baseline arousal over time.
  • Safety note: if your resting heart rate is persistently very high, suddenly changes, or you have symptoms (chest pain, fainting, shortness of breath, palpitations), seek medical advice.

References

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Resting Heart rate insight | KamaLama