Buzz
Your heart rate spikes during intense exercise and drops when you're relaxing or asleep. Your Apple Watch keeps track of your pulse throughout the day and is eager to share its findings.
A few important disclaimers before we proceed: First, everyone's body is unique, so if your heart rate differs from what you'd expect, there's no immediate cause for concern. Normal heart rates vary widely.
More crucially, remember: your Apple Watch is a gadget, but your heart is vital. Certain health conditions could lead to unusual heart rate readings. If you feel something is seriously wrong, stop searching online for heart rate data and consult a healthcare professional.
Now, here's what you can gain from exploring the heart rate features on your Apple Watch:
Current Heart Rate
This refers to the current rate at which your heart is beating, measured in beats per minute. When you're resting, the watch takes readings less frequently, which is why it may show something like '70 bpm, 9 min ago' on your watch face. However, when you launch the heart rate app, it provides an updated measurement.
The heart rate sensor can capture beats ranging from 30 to 210 per minute. This range covers most situations, but if you're approaching the upper limit (for example, a young person hitting 210 bpm during intense exercise), the watch may miss some of the extreme highs or lows.
What’s considered normal? Normal heart rate varies depending on the activity you're engaged in. While resting in bed, you'll see a reading close to your resting heart rate. During exercise, we address that later on. For those times when you're just sitting still, 60 to 100 bpm is the usual range.
Resting Heart Rate
This is your heart rate when you're at rest. Your heart rate is typically lowest during sleep, so if you wear the watch at night, your resting heart rate may appear lower compared to wearing it only during the day.
The more physically fit you are, the more efficient your heart becomes. A well-conditioned heart doesn’t need to beat as often to circulate fresh blood throughout your body. Athletes generally see lower resting heart rates compared to those who don’t exercise regularly. As your fitness improves, you might notice a drop in your resting heart rate over time.
Conversely, if your resting heart rate starts to rise, there could be an issue. Overtraining (pushing yourself too hard) or being unwell or stressed might be the cause.
What’s considered normal? This number should be lower than what you’d see while moving around—typically between 60 and 80 beats per minute for most people, with a lower range if you're highly fit.
Walking Average
This is the heart rate detected by the watch (averaged throughout the day) while you're walking around.
What’s normal? This value will be higher than your resting heart rate, but not excessively so. For example, mine usually falls between 70 and 80 bpm, but those are just quick trips from my desk to the fridge. If you're doing brisk walking, it could be more typical to see around 110 to 120 bpm.
Workout Heart Rate
As you exercise, your heart works harder, so this number reflects the intensity of your effort. I enjoy reviewing the heart rate graph to see how my effort changed throughout the workout. For instance, during interval training, you can watch your heart rate rise with each interval and drop during rest periods in between.
If you wear the watch during a few high-intensity workouts, the highest heart rate you see is likely to be your actual maximum heart rate (or very close). Once you know this number, you can calculate your exercise intensity as a percentage of your maximum. (The Zones app on iPhone can automatically perform this calculation and color-code your workouts based on effort level.)
What’s normal? These values will be higher than your resting or walking heart rate if you're doing cardiovascular exercises like running or cycling. However, if you're lifting weights or practicing yoga, the changes can vary—some sessions may elevate your heart rate significantly, while others might not. Anything up to your maximum heart rate is considered normal. (For most people, maximum heart rate typically ranges from 160 to 200+ bpm.)
Heart Rate Recovery
This is a specific measurement taken by the watch after you finish a workout. To get the most accurate results, make sure to stop your workout on the watch exactly when you stop in real life.
The watch measures your heart rate one minute after your workout ends, and again at the two-minute mark. This gives you two numbers that show how much your heart rate decreased post-workout. For example, if your heart rate was 180 bpm while sprinting, and it drops to 160 bpm after one minute, that’s a 20 bpm decrease.
The quicker your heart rate returns to its normal range after exercise, the better. Generally, people who are fitter will experience larger decreases, such as a 30 bpm drop rather than 20 bpm.
What’s normal? A decrease of about 20 beats per minute is typical. If your heart rate drops by less than 12 beats, it could be a cause for concern, but ultimately, it's best to consult with your doctor.
