Resting heart rate (RHR) is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at complete rest, typically measured first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. It is one of the simplest yet most informative indicators of cardiovascular health and overall fitness.
Healthy ranges
For most adults, a normal resting heart rate falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute (BPM). However, well-trained athletes often have an RHR below 60 BPM — sometimes as low as 40 — because regular cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, allowing it to pump more blood per beat and therefore beat fewer times per minute.
A consistently high RHR (above 80 BPM for non-athletes) can be a warning sign of stress, dehydration, poor cardiovascular fitness, or an underlying health condition. A sudden spike above your personal baseline can indicate illness, overtraining, or insufficient recovery.
What affects resting heart rate
Several factors influence your RHR on any given day:
- Fitness level — Regular aerobic exercise tends to lower RHR over weeks and months.
- Sleep quality — Poor sleep or sleep deprivation typically raises RHR the following morning.
- Hydration — Dehydration forces the heart to work harder, raising RHR.
- Stress and anxiety — Psychological stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate even at rest.
- Alcohol and caffeine — Both substances can elevate RHR, with alcohol effects often showing up during the night.
- Illness — Your body fighting an infection almost always drives RHR upward.
- Medication — Beta-blockers, stimulants, and other medications directly affect heart rate.
How Penng tracks RHR
Penng measures your heart rate continuously using its optical PPG sensor. Your resting heart rate is captured during overnight sleep, when your body is at its most relaxed. This value feeds directly into your daily recovery score, alongside HRV and sleep data, giving you a reliable picture of whether your body is ready to train or needs more rest.
Tracking your RHR over weeks and months reveals long-term fitness trends. A gradual decline in resting heart rate is one of the clearest signs that your cardiovascular system is getting stronger.
Learn more about your health data — take the free quiz at penng.ai/quiz.