What are two ways to find your resting heart rate?

September 27, 2025 •

4 min read

Monitoring your resting heart rate is a simple yet powerful indicator of your overall cardiovascular health and fitness level. In fact, a consistently lower resting heart rate often correlates with a more efficient heart and better physical conditioning. Learning what are two ways to find your resting heart rate gives you a direct, at-home method for tracking this important metric.

Quick Summary

You can find your resting heart rate using two primary methods: manually checking your pulse at the wrist or neck with a timer, or by using a wearable electronic device like a smartwatch or fitness tracker. Both provide an easy way to monitor this vital sign from the comfort of your home.

Key Points

Two Primary Methods: Find your resting heart rate either by manually taking your pulse at your wrist or neck, or by using an electronic wearable device like a fitness tracker or smartwatch.
Manual Check Steps: To manually find your pulse, place two fingers on your wrist below your thumb or on your neck next to your windpipe, count the beats for 30 seconds, and multiply by two.
Use Wearable Tech: Fitness trackers and smartwatches use optical sensors (or sometimes chest straps with electrical sensors) for convenient, automatic, and continuous heart rate monitoring.
Accuracy and Trends: Manual checks are accurate if done correctly, while wearables excel at providing consistent, long-term data and identifying trends in your heart health.
Timing Matters: For the most accurate resting heart rate, measure it in the morning right after you wake up, before consuming caffeine or getting out of bed.
What Your RHR Means: A healthy resting heart rate for most adults is 60-100 bpm, with a lower rate often indicating better cardiovascular fitness.

Manual Pulse Check

One of the most traditional and reliable ways to find your resting heart rate is by manually checking your pulse. This method requires no special equipment, just your fingers and a timer. A manual check is excellent for understanding the rhythm and strength of your pulse, offering a more tactile connection to your body's signals.

How to perform a manual wrist check

For a radial pulse check at the wrist, follow these steps to ensure accuracy:

Preparation: Sit down and relax for at least five minutes. Avoid caffeine and strenuous activity beforehand, as these can temporarily increase your heart rate.
Position your fingers: Extend one arm with your palm facing up. Place the index and middle fingers of your opposite hand on the inside of your wrist, just below the base of your thumb. Use the pads of your fingers, not the tips.
Find the pulse: Press lightly but firmly until you feel a pulsating sensation. If you don't find it immediately, shift your fingers slightly until you do.
Count the beats: Once you find the pulse, start a timer. Count the number of beats you feel in 30 seconds and then multiply that number by two. Alternatively, you can count for a full 60 seconds for maximum accuracy.
Record and repeat: Write down your result. For best results, repeat the process a few times and take an average to ensure your number is consistent.

How to perform a manual neck check

Another option is the carotid pulse check on your neck. While effective, it is important to follow the correct procedure to do this safely.

Relax and locate: With your index and middle fingers, find the hollow groove on the side of your neck, next to your windpipe and just below your jawline.
Press gently: Apply light pressure to feel the pulse. Never press on both sides of your neck at the same time, as this can cause dizziness or fainting.
Count accurately: Count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by two, or count for the full minute for the most precise result.

Using Wearable Technology

The second and increasingly popular method is to use a wearable electronic device. This offers the convenience of passive, continuous monitoring, and data tracking over time. The market is full of options, from simple fitness trackers to advanced smartwatches.

How modern wearables work

Most smartwatches and fitness trackers use a technology called photoplethysmography (PPG). This involves using LED lights on the back of the device to shine into the skin. As blood flows through your wrist, the light absorption changes, and the sensor detects these variations. The device then processes this data to calculate your heart rate in beats per minute (bpm). Some advanced trackers also use chest straps with electrical sensors for even higher accuracy during exercise, although the optical sensors on modern watches are generally reliable for resting heart rate measurement.

The benefits of automatic tracking

Using a wearable device for your resting heart rate offers several advantages:

Continuous data: It automatically tracks your heart rate throughout the day, including during sleep, providing a more comprehensive average.
Trends and insights: The accompanying app can chart your data, allowing you to visualize trends over time and see how lifestyle changes affect your resting heart rate.
Convenience: You don't have to remember to perform a manual check; the device does the work for you passively.

Manual vs. Wearable Measurement: A Comparison


Feature	Manual Check	Wearable Device
Accuracy	Can be highly accurate if performed correctly, especially over a full minute. Human error can be a factor.	Very accurate for resting heart rate, though less so during intense movement. Consistency is high.
Convenience	Requires active effort (finding pulse, counting, using a timer). Best done when truly at rest.	Passive and continuous. No effort required once the device is set up.
Cost	Free.	Requires purchase of a device (smartwatch, fitness tracker).
Insight	Gives you an instant snapshot of your heart rate at that moment.	Provides historical data and trends, offering deeper insights into long-term heart health.
Equipment	Only a watch or phone timer is needed.	A smartwatch, fitness band, or chest strap is required.

Why Your Resting Heart Rate Matters

Your resting heart rate is a fundamental measure of your heart's efficiency. For most healthy adults, a normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. A lower RHR often indicates a healthier heart and cardiovascular system, as it means your heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood. Elite athletes, for example, can have resting heart rates as low as 40 bpm. Consistent changes in your RHR, especially sudden increases, can signal underlying health issues, stress, or a lack of physical fitness.

Conclusion: Which method is right for you?

Both manual and technological methods are valid ways to find your resting heart rate. The manual pulse check is a timeless and reliable technique that connects you to your own body's rhythms and requires no financial investment. For those who want more convenience and long-term trend data, a wearable device provides a powerful tool for continuous, effortless monitoring. Ultimately, the best method is the one you will use consistently. By tracking this simple metric, you can gain valuable insight into your health and make proactive decisions to keep your heart healthy.

For more detailed information on cardiovascular health, you can visit the American Heart Association website.

Frequently Asked Questions

A normal resting heart rate for most healthy adults falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). However, factors like age, fitness level, and stress can influence this number.

The most accurate time to check your resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed. Your body is most relaxed at this time, providing the most reliable baseline measurement.

You should not use your thumb to check your pulse. The thumb has its own pulse, which can interfere with the accuracy of your count. Always use your index and middle fingers.

Fitness trackers and smartwatches typically use a technology called photoplethysmography (PPG). This involves shining a light into your skin and measuring the changing blood volume to detect your pulse.

Checking your resting heart rate consistently for a few days, preferably at the same time each morning, can give you a reliable average. Tracking it over time is more insightful than a single measurement.

A higher-than-normal resting heart rate can be caused by stress, anxiety, dehydration, caffeine, illness, lack of sleep, or a sedentary lifestyle. It's best to consult a doctor if you notice a persistent, unexplained increase.

Generally, a lower resting heart rate indicates better cardiovascular fitness. However, an extremely low RHR (below 60 bpm) accompanied by symptoms like dizziness or fatigue could signal a heart problem, and you should seek medical advice.