How to accurately count heartbeats: The 3 most standard steps to measure heart rate manually

Heart rate is one of the important indicators reflecting cardiovascular health, but many people still don't know how to calculate heart rate and how to measure heart rate correctly. According to cardiology organizations, a normal resting heart rate for adults typically ranges from 60–100 beats/minute, while regular exercisers may have a heart rate of only 40–60 beats/minute due to more efficient heart function.

If you've ever wondered if your heart rate is at a safe level, whether you're exercising intensely enough, or want to monitor your cardiovascular health at home, then knowing how to calculate heart rate and how to accurately measure heart rate is an essential skill. In this article, Tiptory will guide you through simple, easy-to-follow methods to check your normal heart rate, and help you understand the meaning of each result to proactively care for your cardiovascular health every day.

Part 1: How to take your pulse: A guide to accurate pulse measurement

Step 1: How to measure heart rate at the wrist

Identify the correct pulse location on the wrist

• This is the most common and easiest way to check your normal heart rate or apply heart rate calculation methods at home.
• The radial artery is located just under the skin on the inside of the wrist, so you can feel the pulse quite clearly each time your heart contracts.
• Each beat you feel is the blood pumped by the heart through the artery.

Position your hand correctly before measuring

• Extend one arm comfortably, palm up, and relax your body.
• Use the tips of your index and middle fingers of the other hand and place them on the inside of your wrist.
• Place two fingers in the area between the tendon and the bone, just below the wrist crease, on the same side as your thumb. This is the position commonly used when measuring heart rate at the wrist.

Adjust finger pressure to feel the pulse

• Only apply light to moderate pressure to find the pulse, avoid pressing too hard as it can make the pulse harder to find.
• If you don't feel a pulse, move your fingertips slightly or increase pressure gently until you feel a steady pulse.
• When you've found the correct position, you will feel the soft tissue under your fingertips instead of directly touching the bone.

Count heartbeats and calculate beats per minute

• Once you've located the pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds.
• Multiply the counted result by 4 to calculate the heart rate in 1 minute. This is a simple, quick, and reasonably accurate method for calculating heart rate at rest.
• Use a watch or a device with a timer function to accurately time 15 seconds, which will make the results more reliable than estimating the time yourself.

Notes for more accurate results

• Perform the measurement when your body has been at rest for at least 5 minutes, avoiding immediately after exercise, drinking coffee, or stress.
• You can measure 2-3 times and take the average value if the results differ.
• Regularly monitoring your normal heart rate will help you assess your cardiovascular health and detect abnormal changes early to take appropriate action.

Step 2: How to measure heart rate at the neck

Locate the carotid pulse in the neck

• If it's difficult to feel the pulse at the wrist, you can apply the heart rate measurement method at the carotid artery in the neck.
• This is one of the locations where the pulse is clear, helping you calculate your heart rate quickly and conveniently.
• The carotid artery runs along both sides of the trachea, just below the angle of the jaw.

Place your fingers correctly

• Use your index and middle fingers to gently press on one side of your neck, near the outer edge of the trachea, where the neck meets the lower jawbone.
• You can check both sides of your neck, but many people feel the pulse more clearly on the left side.
• If you don't feel a pulse, move your fingertips slightly and increase pressure gently until you feel a beat.

Count heartbeats in 15 seconds

• Once you've located the pulse, use a watch or stopwatch to count the number of beats in 15 seconds.
• Multiply the result by 4 to calculate the heart rate in 1 minute. This is a simple heart rate calculation method, often used for self-checking health at home or monitoring after exercise.

Compare results with the wrist

• If done correctly, normal heart rate measurements at the neck and wrist should be similar or only slightly different.
• If the results between the two locations differ significantly, or if you frequently notice a heart rate that is too fast, too slow, or irregular, you should monitor it further and consult a doctor for an accurate assessment.

Notes when measuring heart rate at the neck

• Only measure on one side of the neck at a time; do not press both sides simultaneously as it can reduce blood flow to the brain.
• Do not apply too much pressure when feeling for the pulse, especially in older people or those with cardiovascular disease.
• To accurately assess normal heart rate, measure when your body is relaxed, avoiding immediately after strenuous exercise or using stimulants like coffee or tobacco.

Step 3: When does heart rate require a medical examination?

Understanding normal resting heart rate

• Normal resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in 1 minute after you have been sitting or lying still for at least 5 minutes.
• If you have just exercised, run, or worked out, it may take longer for your heart to return to a resting state. Therefore, you should not measure immediately after physical activity if you want to assess your normal heart rate.
• The results of heart rate measurement are only meaningful when the body is in a relaxed and stable state.

Resting heart rate can vary due to many factors

• Each person has a different normal heart rate depending on their health status and lifestyle.
• Some factors that can affect heart rate calculation results include:
  • Activity level and fitness.
  • Hot or cold environmental temperatures.
  • Body posture such as standing, sitting, or lying down.
  • Stress, anxiety, or strong emotions.
  • Body size.
  • Certain medications being used, especially those for heart or blood pressure conditions.

Resting heart rate above 100 beats/minute

• If your normal heart rate consistently exceeds 100 beats/minute while resting, this could be a sign of tachycardia.
• This condition can be related to stress, fever, dehydration, hyperthyroidism, or cardiovascular diseases.
• If this reading is repeated many times or accompanied by abnormal symptoms, you should visit a medical facility for examination.

Resting heart rate below 60 beats/minute

• If you are not an athlete or a high-intensity exerciser but your normal heart rate at rest is below 60 beats/minute, this could be a sign of bradycardia.
• Particular attention is needed if this condition is accompanied by symptoms such as:
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness.
  • Fainting.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Unusual fatigue.
• Conversely, in regular exercisers, a low resting heart rate can reflect more efficient heart function. However, if your heart rate drops below about 40 beats/minute or you experience discomfort, you should still be evaluated by a doctor.

Irregular heart rate

• If when applying heart rate measurement methods, you notice that your heart beats are sometimes fast, sometimes slow, or continuously skip beats, this could be a sign of arrhythmia.
• Persistent irregular heart rate or accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting requires early examination to determine the cause and receive timely treatment.

When should you see a doctor?

• Proactively visit a medical facility if you consistently record:
  • Normal heart rate at rest above 100 beats/minute.
  • Heart rate below 60 beats/minute even if you are not an athlete.
  • Repeated irregular heart rate.
  • Symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting accompanied by heart rate abnormalities.
• Regularly monitoring how to measure heart rate and how to calculate heart rate will help detect abnormal signs early, thereby protecting cardiovascular health more effectively.

Part 2: Tips for monitoring and checking heart rate correctly

Tip 1: How to calculate maximum heart rate

Understanding what maximum heart rate is

• Maximum heart rate (HRMax) is the highest number of beats your heart can achieve during strenuous activity.
• This indicator is often used to determine appropriate exercise intensity, helping you exercise effectively while ensuring safety.
• Knowing how to calculate heart rate maximum also helps in creating a training plan for specific goals such as weight loss, increasing endurance, or improving cardiovascular health.

Apply the maximum heart rate calculation formula

• A common formula for calculating maximum heart rate is:
  • Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - age
• Example:
  • 20 years old: 220 - 20 = 200 beats/minute.
  • 35 years old: 220 - 35 = 185 beats/minute.
  • 50 years old: 220 - 50 = 170 beats/minute.
• This is an estimated formula for healthy adults and may differ slightly from the actual values for individuals.

Using maximum heart rate during exercise

• After determining your HRMax, you can monitor how to measure your heart rate during exercise to adjust your activity intensity.
• Maintaining your heart rate within the appropriate target zone will help optimize training effectiveness, while minimizing the risk of overtraining.
• Combining how to calculate heart rate with monitoring your normal heart rate at rest is also a way to assess recovery and cardiovascular status over time.

Note if you are on medication

• Some medications for high blood pressure, especially those that slow heart rate, may cause your actual maximum heart rate to be lower than the calculated level.
• If you are using these medications and monitoring your heart rate for exercise, consult your doctor to determine appropriate heart rate limits for your health condition.

Consult your doctor before exercising

• You should be evaluated by a doctor before starting a new exercise program if you:
  • Have high blood pressure.
  • Have diabetes.
  • Have heart disease or a history of heart problems.
• A health check-up before exercise will help determine a safe activity intensity, reduce the risk of complications, and create an exercise plan suitable for your physical condition.

Tip 2: Determine heart rate for moderate exercise

Monitor heart rate to control exercise intensity

• Monitoring how to measure heart rate during activity is a simple way to know if you are exercising at an appropriate intensity.
• Adults should maintain about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (equivalent to about 2.5 hours) to help protect cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
• Combining how to calculate heart rate with an exercise plan will help you train more effectively and safely.

Determine target heart rate zone

• When exercising at moderate intensity, your heart rate should be around 50–70% of your maximum heart rate (HRMax).
• You can calculate it using the formula:
  • Maximum heart rate = 220 - age
  • Target heart rate zone = 50–70% HRMax
• For example:
  • A 20-year-old person has a maximum heart rate of about 200 beats/minute.
  • The normal heart rate zone for moderate intensity exercise will range from 100–140 beats/minute.

Activities considered moderate-intensity exercise

• If performed correctly, the following activities typically help heart rate reach the target zone:
  • Dancing.
  • Brisk walking on flat terrain.
  • Cycling under about 16 km/hour.
  • Brisk walking about 5.6 km/hour.
  • Downhill skiing.
  • Swimming.
  • Gardening.
  • Playing doubles tennis.
  • Playing golf.

Adjust intensity when necessary

• During your workout, use heart rate measurement techniques regularly to check if you've reached your target zone.
• If your heart rate is still below 50% of your maximum heart rate after a few minutes of activity, you can slightly increase your pace or intensity if your health allows.
• Conversely, if your heart rate exceeds the target zone and you feel short of breath, dizzy, or exhausted, reduce the intensity or rest until your heart rate returns to normal.

Benefits of maintaining the appropriate heart rate zone

• Maintaining your heart rate within the target zone helps improve cardiovascular endurance, enhance circulation, and increase energy burning efficiency.
• Regular monitoring using heart rate calculation methods and heart rate measurement techniques also helps you assess your training progress, thereby adjusting your exercise program to suit your physical condition and health goals.

Tip 3: Determine heart rate for high-intensity exercise

Monitor heart rate during high-intensity exercise

• In addition to how to measure heart rate at rest, checking your heart rate during strenuous activity will help you assess whether your exercise intensity is appropriate.
• Adults should maintain approximately 75 minutes of high-intensity activity per week or combine it with moderate-intensity workouts to enhance cardiovascular health.
• Monitoring how to calculate heart rate during exercise also helps reduce the risk of overtraining and potential injuries.

Determine target heart rate zone for high-intensity exercise

• When exercising at high intensity, your heart rate should be around 70–85% of your maximum heart rate (HRMax).
• You can calculate it using the formula:
  • Maximum heart rate = 220 - age
  • Target heart rate zone = 70–85% HRMax
• For example:
  • A 20-year-old person has a maximum heart rate of about 200 beats/minute.
  • When exercising at high intensity, the heart rate should be maintained within 140–170 beats/minute.

Activities considered high-intensity exercise

• The following activities typically bring your heart rate into the high-intensity training zone:
  • Brisk walking at about 7.2 km/hour or more.
  • Cycling at about 16 km/hour or more.
  • Climbing hills or walking uphill.
  • Continuous stair climbing.
  • Cross-country skiing.
  • Playing soccer.
  • Running.
  • Jumping rope.
  • Playing singles tennis.
  • Playing basketball.
  • Performing gardening or outdoor labor that requires significant effort.

Adjust exercise intensity according to heart rate

• Apply how to measure heart rate during or immediately after exercise to check if you are within your target zone.
• If your heart rate is below 70% of your maximum heart rate, you can gradually increase your pace or exercise intensity if your body responds well.
• If your heart rate exceeds 85% of your maximum heart rate for an extended period or you experience symptoms such as chest pain, severe shortness of breath, dizziness, or lightheadedness, reduce the intensity and rest immediately.

Benefits of exercising within the correct heart rate zone

• Maintaining your heart rate within the appropriate high-intensity zone helps improve cardiorespiratory endurance, increase oxygen uptake, enhance exercise performance, and support weight management.
• Combining how to calculate heart rate, how to measure heart rate, and monitoring your normal heart rate after rest will help you build a safe, effective, and physically appropriate exercise program.

Tip 4: Signs of increased heart rate

Recognize when heart rate increases too quickly

• You may not always have equipment to measure your heart rate or check your heart rate during exercise. Therefore, recognizing the signs of an elevated heart rate will help you adjust your exercise intensity in a timely manner.
• If multiple of these signs appear simultaneously, you should reduce your pace or rest to allow your heart rate to return to normal.

Rapid breathing and shortness of breath

• When your heart rate increases, your body needs more oxygen, so you will breathe faster, harder, or feel breathless.
• If shortness of breath persists or occurs even during light activity, you should stop exercising and monitor your health.

Sweating more than usual

• Sweating is a natural reaction to exercise, but if your body sweats excessively even if the exercise intensity is not too high, it could be a sign that your heart is working too hard.
• Rest, rehydrate, and check your heart rate if possible.

Difficulty speaking during exercise

• A simple way to assess exercise intensity is the "talk test."
• If you can still hold a brief conversation without interruption, your exercise intensity is typically moderate.
• If you are breathing so hard that you cannot speak in complete sentences, your heart rate may have increased to a high-intensity zone or exceeded your body's capacity.

Combine self-perception with heart rate measurement

• The above signs are for reference only and do not replace measuring your heart rate by checking your pulse or using a tracking device.
• For a more accurate assessment, combine heart rate calculation methods with your body's sensations throughout your workout.
• If your heart rate increases abnormally accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting, you should stop exercising and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Tip 5: Use a heart rate monitor

Use a device to measure heart rate more accurately

• If you exercise regularly or don't want to stop to measure your heart rate manually, consider using a heart rate monitor.
• These devices help monitor heart rate continuously in real-time, assisting with adjusting exercise intensity and evaluating training effectiveness.
• This is also a convenient solution for those who want to track their normal heart rate daily or during health recovery.

Common types of devices

• Currently, there are many devices to support heart rate measurement methods, such as:
  • Smartwatches or fitness trackers with heart rate sensors.
  • Pulse oximeters, which typically display both heart rate and blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂).
  • Specialized heart rate monitors for athletes.

Chest-worn devices for high accuracy

• For individuals who exercise regularly or engage in high-intensity sports, chest straps for heart rate monitoring usually provide more stable results.
• These devices use sensors placed close to the chest to record heart signals and transmit data to a watch or phone application.
• With continuous monitoring, you can control how to calculate heart rate during each phase of your workout without needing to stop to check your pulse.

Choosing the right device for your needs

• When choosing a heart rate monitoring device, prioritize the following criteria:
  • Easy to use and read results.
  • Comfortable to wear for extended periods.
  • Good accuracy during exercise.
  • Suitable for your sport or training regimen.
  • Ability to store data to track changes in normal heart rate over time.

Notes when using a heart rate monitor

• Heart rate monitors are very helpful for training, but results can be affected by wearing position, vigorous movement, or sensor quality.
• If the device continuously records an abnormal heart rate or you experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting, seek medical attention rather than relying solely on device data.
• Combining monitoring devices with manual heart rate measurement methods and heart rate calculation methods will help you assess your cardiovascular health more comprehensively and reliably.

Tracking progress through heart rate

Start exercising at an appropriate intensity

• If you're new to exercise, start with a light intensity and gradually increase it as your body allows.
• As your fitness improves, you'll be able to exercise harder while your heart rate remains within a safe target zone.
• Increasing intensity gradually helps your heart and circulatory system adapt better, while reducing the risk of injury or overexertion.

Heart rate reflects fitness improvement

• In sedentary individuals, heart rate can increase to over 100 beats/minute after just 1-2 minutes of exercise.
• As cardiovascular health and fitness improve, you'll need to exert more effort to reach the same heart rate as before.
• This is a positive sign that the heart is working more efficiently and the body is adapting well to exercise.

Utilize monitoring devices on exercise machines

• If using a treadmill, exercise bike, or elliptical machine, check if the equipment has integrated heart rate measurement methods.
• These sensors help you monitor your heart rate during your workout without needing to stop.
• However, results can sometimes be inaccurate due to hand placement, movement, or signal interference from other nearby monitoring devices.

Evaluate exercise effectiveness using heart rate

• A simple way to track progress is to record your heart rate before and after a 15-minute brisk walk.
• Apply the same heart rate measurement method each time and record the results for comparison over time.
• Initially, heart rate often increases quickly during exercise and takes quite a while to return to a normal resting heart rate.

Monitor heart recovery ability

• With regular exercise, the heart will pump blood more efficiently.
• For the same 15-minute workout, heart rate will not increase as high as before and will return to a normal heart rate faster after finishing.
• Rapid heart rate recovery is one of the signs that cardiovascular health and fitness are improving.

Maintain a habit of monitoring heart rate

• Combine heart rate calculation methods, heart rate measurement methods, and periodically record results to assess your progress.
• Regular monitoring not only helps adjust exercise intensity appropriately but also aids in early detection of abnormal changes in normal heart rate, thereby proactively caring for long-term cardiovascular health.

References

1. American Heart Association. (2024). Target Heart Rates Chart. American Heart Association.
2. American Heart Association. (2024). All About Heart Rate (Pulse). American Heart Association.
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4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
5. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2023). Heart-Healthy Living. National Institutes of Health.
6. National Institute on Aging. (2023). Exercise and Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging. National Institutes of Health.
7. World Health Organization. (2022). WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. World Health Organization.
8. European Society of Cardiology. (2021). 2021 ESC Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice. European Heart Journal, 42(34), 3227–3337.
9. Pelliccia, A., Sharma, S., Gati, S., Bäck, M., Börjesson, M., Caselli, S., et al. (2021). 2020 ESC Guidelines on Sports Cardiology and Exercise in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease. European Heart Journal, 42(1), 17–96.
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12. Merck Manual Professional Edition. (2023). Approach to the Patient With Cardiovascular Symptoms. Merck & Co., Inc.

Content edited by: Lesley Collins Tran.

Information reviewed and verified by expert: Mia Taylor.