My heart rate is over 100 resting

Updated: 01/27/2022

If your heart is racing as you’re sitting reading this article, it’s possible your body is trying to tell you something. A high resting heart rate, or a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute, means your heart is working extra hard to pump blood through your body. And, that extra effort could result in a wide range of negative effects on your overall health, including feelings of dizziness and fatigue – and most seriously – blood clots, heart failure and, in rare cases, sudden death.

Normal resting heart rate is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute, and it’s simple to check how fast yours is beating. While idle, hold your pointer and middle finger between your bone and tendon on the thumb side on your wrist until you feel your pulse, and count the number of beats for a minute – that is your resting heart rate.

Certain aspects of someone’s resting heart rate are directly connected to uncontrollable factors, such as age and genetics, however there are certain actions that be taken to help decrease heart rate and improve overall wellbeing for those whose resting heart rate is above normal.

Here are six proven ways to lower your resting heart rate:

1. Stay Out of the Heat:

The warmer the temperature, the faster your heart beats. This is because your heart is working quickly to pump blood to the surface of your skin, produce sweat and cool off the body. To ensure your heart isn’t beating on overdrive, stay in cool, comfortable places when possible and remember to stay well hydrated.

2. Exercise Frequently: 

Exercise is great for your health for many reasons – and securing a normal resting heart rate is one of them. While it might seem counterintuitive since your heart rate increases while you’re exercising, what you’re actually doing every time you’re working out is training your heart to be stronger and more efficient at pumping blood. Then, when you’re in rest mode, your heart is more easily able to maintain a normal heart rate.

3. Add More Fish to Your Diet: 

Similarly to exercising, maintaining a healthy diet is beneficial to each of us for many reasons. For one, incorporating more fish has been associated with lower resting heart rates, according to a study from the American Heart Association. Don’t enjoy eating fish? Talk a doctor about taking fish oil supplements, which may have positive effects on heart rate as well.

4. Lessen the Stress: 

The higher our stress level, the higher our heart rates. For many people, stress can feel inevitable. Perhaps you’re trying to balance work and home life, but can never seem to find enough time to get it all accomplished. A quick and simple way to begin to de-stress is to designate a block of time each day to disconnect from your cell phone and other electronic devices. This frees up time to be productive and gives you an opportunity to declutter your mind and reprioritize. Another simple de-stressing tip is to practice meditation to relax the mind.

5. Be Mindful of Your Breathing: 

On the topic of medication, another quick and easy way to lower your heart rate is to practice mindful breathing exercises. Inhale slowly for five seconds and then exhale slowly for 15 seconds. Try dedicating five minutes to this each day.

6. Nix the Cigarettes: 

It might come as no surprise that smoking cigarettes has countless negative effects on a person’s health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this includes an increased risk for coronary heart disease, stroke and lung and other cancers. Additionally, tobacco products have been shown to increase resting heart rates. When your body consumes nicotine, your veins and arteries constrict, and your heart has to then put in that extra work to pump blood. If you’re a smoker, the good news is quitting can decrease your resting heart rate within just 24 hours – so the sooner you can nix the cigarettes – the sooner you’ll begin to see results.

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our clinical contributor: Sarah Timmapuri, M.D.
• To make an appointment with Dr. Timmapuri or a doctor near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.

Is something wrong with my heart? That may be your first thought when you notice your heart beating quickly.

Racing heart rates can be scary. You may feel your heart is pumping faster or harder than usual. In some instances, you may notice skipped or fluttering heartbeats.

Fortunately, it is usually nothing to worry about. But, in some cases, it can be due to an underlying health condition.

What is a dangerous heart rate?

For adults, a normal resting heart rate is about 60 – 100 beats per minute. A fast heart rate is defined as a heart rate with over 100 beats per minute. When your heart beats too quickly, it is a condition called tachycardia. Conversely, when your heart rate is too slow, it's called bradycardia. Bradycardia is generally defined as having a resting heart rate that's less than 60 beats per minute.

There are many different types of tachycardia. Their classification is based on their cause and the part of the heart they affect. If it begins in the ventricles (the lower chamber of the heart), it is called ventricular tachycardia. If it starts above the ventricles, it is called supraventricular tachycardia.

While it may cause worry, experiencing tachycardia may be temporary. Tachycardia may be a reaction to the processes or chemicals in the body, such as stressful emotions, exercises, certain drugs, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. These symptoms can be felt in your chest, throat or neck. Hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy, is also a common cause of tachycardia.

An abnormal heart rhythm may also be dangerous, even if the heart rate is within the normal range. Patients who experience frequent skipped heartbeats or irregular heartbeats- should also undergo further tests.

My heart rate won’t go down – should I be worried?

Most causes of a rapid heartbeat are not dangerous. However, it can be a problem when it happens often, lasts too long, won’t go down while at rest, or causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pain.

A faster than usual heartbeat accompanied by worrisome symptoms, can indicate an underlying health problem such as cardiovascular disease, dehydration, anaemia, electrolyte imbalance, or hyperthyroidism.

If you notice that your heart is racing a lot and it happens when you're not exercising or stressed, do consult a doctor as soon as possible.

How are heart conditions diagnosed?

To help diagnose your condition, your doctor may use a variety of diagnostic procedures such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerised tomography (CT) and coronary angiogram. Doctors may also arrange for a longer period of heart rhythm monitoring (often between 24 hours to 1 week) to look for any abnormal heart rhythms that may be causing the palpitations.

An ECG is the most common test that will be conducted. It makes use of small electrodes to record your heart's electrical activity and can detect abnormalities in the heart. Structural abnormalities can be picked up by through cardiac imaging tests such as an echocardiogram, MRI, CT scans, coronary angiogram and chest X-ray. These imaging tests are the only way to tell if you've had a silent heart attack, a heart attack that occurs without apparent symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath.

Your doctor may also order laboratory tests to check if your condition is caused by an imbalance in electrolyte or hormones.

Once a diagnosis is made, your doctor will work out a plan to treat and manage your condition.

When to see a doctor

Seek immediate medical help if you experience a fast heartbeat accompanied by fainting, shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pain. These could be signs of serious heart disease, such as a heart attack or stroke. Delay in getting treatment can result in severe complications and permanent damage.

When your heart beats faster than normal, it's working too hard. It doesn't have enough time to fill up its chambers with blood or pump it to the rest of your body, and this is a matter of concern.

It doesn't matter how healthy you are; if your heart doesn't feel right for you, it's worth getting a regular heart screening.

Article reviewed by Dr Reginald Liew, cardiologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospitals

References

Tachycardia. Mayoclinic. Retrieved on 26 February 2021 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tachycardia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355127

Should I worry about my fast pulse? Harvard Heart Letter. Retrieved on 26 February 2021 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/should-i-worry-about-my-fast-pulse

Tachycardia: Fast Heart Rate. American Heart Association. Retrieved on 26 February 2021 from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/about-arrhythmia/tachycardia--fast-heart-rate

Silent heart attack: What are the risks? Retrieved on 26 February 2021 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/expert-answers/silent-heart-attack/faq-20057777

Should I be concerned if my resting heart rate is over 100?

Is it normal to have a heart rate above 100?