From the Guidelines
Resting heart rate typically increases with age. As we grow older, our cardiovascular system undergoes natural changes that affect heart function. In healthy adults, the average resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute, but older adults tend to have higher resting heart rates compared to younger individuals. This increase occurs because aging hearts become less efficient at pumping blood, requiring more beats to maintain adequate circulation. Some key points to consider include:
- The heart muscle may stiffen with age, and there's often a decrease in maximum heart rate capacity, as noted in the relationship between heart rate and V˙O2 1.
- The natural pacemaker of the heart (sinoatrial node) loses some cells over time, affecting heart rhythm regulation.
- Other age-related factors contributing to increased resting heart rate include reduced physical fitness, increased prevalence of chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes, and medication effects.
- Regular physical activity can help counteract this age-related increase, as exercise improves cardiovascular efficiency even in older adults.
- Monitoring your resting heart rate over time can provide valuable information about your cardiovascular health as you age, considering the HR–V˙O2 relationship and its implications for cardiovascular function 1.
From the Research
Resting Heart Rate and Age
- The relationship between resting heart rate (RHR) and age is complex, with some studies suggesting a decline in RHR with advancing age 2.
- A study of 92,457 adults found that mean daily RHR differed significantly by age, with a range of 40 to 109 beats per minute (bpm) among all individuals 3.
- Another study found that RHR remained relatively stable over the short term, but 20% of subjects experienced at least 1 week in which their RHR fluctuated by 10 bpm or more 3.
Effects of Aging on Resting Heart Rate
- A study of healthy men found that there is an age-associated decline in heart rate responses to supine exercise, with older men having a lesser increase in heart rate during exercise [+105% old versus +166% young] [4].
- The same study found that exercise training reduced resting heart rate by 12% (-8 beats per minute) and increased resting end-diastolic volume index by 13% (+9 mL/M2) and resting stroke volume index by 18% (+7 mL/M2) in both young and old men 4.
- A longitudinal study of individuals aged 70 to 90 found that RHR declines in the oldest old, and this decline is associated with greater longevity 2.
Resting Heart Rate and Functional Decline
- A study of 5042 older adults found that higher resting heart rate was associated with worse functional status in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and lower heart rate variability was related to worse instrumental activities of daily living 5.
- The same study found that participants in the highest tertile of heart rate had a 1.79-fold and 1.35-fold higher risk of decline in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, respectively 5.