6. Morning Pulse Rate
Know If Your Heart Is Strong
Your pulse is the number of times your heart beats in 1 minute. Regular monitoring of your resting pulse, first thing in the morning, will help you see if your exercise program is strengthening your heart. It will also help you spot problems that can’t be found with the other checks mentioned in this chapter.
For example, a normal resting pulse rate is 60 to 90 beats per minute. Normally, people in better physical condition have lower resting rates because their heart muscles are in good shape, and each beat is strong and forceful. If you’re not a regular exerciser and your heart rate is lower than the normal range, tell your doctor—it could be a sign of heart disease. When checking your pulse, also notice how the beats feel.
A healthy pulse feels soft yet firm against your fingers; a weak pulse feels faint and could indicate heart failure. If your pulse feels hard and pounding, it could be a sign of atherosclerosis, and an irregular rhythm could be a sign of a heart abnormality. Tell your doc if you notice anything unusual about the "feel" of your pulse.
How to check: You’ll need a clock or watch with a second hand. The pulse is best measured at the wrist or neck, where an artery runs close to the surface of the skin. To measure the pulse at your wrist, place your index and middle fingers on the underside of the opposite wrist. Press firmly with the flat of your fingers until you feel the pulse. For a neck measurement, gently press your index and middle fingers against your neck in the hollow just below and in front of the back corner of your jawbone.
After you’ve found your pulse, count the beats for one minute (or count for 30 seconds and multiply by two). The result is your pulse rate in beats per minute.
How often to check: Take your pulse once a month, before you get out of bed in the morning.
Why it’s important: This check has two purposes. It will show you whether your exercise program is strengthening your heart (if your pulse rate gradually falls within the healthy range). It will also give you a heads-up about a variety of heart problems.
From: 30 Minutes A Day To A Healthy Heart, Reader's Digest Canada
More on Health
Dirt's Little Secrets
Did you know making your bed is a BAD thing? Find out why, and learn more fascinating facts about dust mites and other household allergens. Did you...
12 Tips to Get Your Kids Eating Healthy
With childhood obesity in North America tripling over the past 20 years, what kids are eating has become a major concern. Learn the Do's and Don'ts to...
The 4-1-1 on Sports Injuries
Having two left-feet doesn’t mean you can’t exercise or play sports without getting hurt. You just need to understand how injuries happen and...
Editor's Picks
Food - 8 Easy Risotto Recipes
Delicious, creamy, and and very versatile, risotto is a welcomed addition to any meal. The timing involved in making risotto can be a little tricky, but...
Money - Budgeting for a Baby
It costs about $167,000 to raise a child to age 18, according to the Canadian Council on Social Development. Parents can expect to spend $10,000 in the...
Money - What E-mail Greetings Say About You
The blueprint for writing letters was laid down a long time ago, but with e-mail the terrain is still being mapped. What does your e-mail salutations and...
