What the pulse is
Each time the heart contracts, it pushes blood into the arteries. This surge stretches the artery wall, and the stretch we feel at the wrist or neck is the pulse. Because one pulse matches one heartbeat, the pulse rate (beats per minute, bpm) tells us how fast the heart is beating without opening the body.
Normal values
A resting adult usually has a pulse rate of about 60 to 100 bpm. Children have faster pulses, and well-trained athletes often have slower resting pulses because their hearts pump more blood with each beat. The pulse speeds up during exercise, fear or fever, and slows again during rest.
Key idea
To measure your pulse, press two fingers gently on the radial artery at the wrist (or the carotid artery in the neck). Count the beats for 60 seconds, or count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
Why pulse rate matters
- It shows how hard the heart is working during rest and exercise.
- A very high or very irregular pulse may signal a heart problem.
- The rise and fall of pulse during and after exercise is a measure of fitness: a fit person's pulse returns to normal faster.
Example
A student counts 18 beats at his wrist in 15 seconds. His pulse rate is 18 multiplied by 4, which equals 72 bpm, a normal resting value. After running around the school field, he counts 30 beats in 15 seconds, giving 120 bpm.
Remember
Use your fingers, not your thumb, to feel a pulse, because the thumb has its own pulse that can confuse the count. Rest for a few minutes before measuring a resting pulse rate.