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Resting Heart Rate
Resting heart rate counts heartbeats at rest, but the number varies with the person and measurement conditions rather than staying fixed.
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Resting heart rate is the number of times the heart beats per minute when a person is at rest. It is a basic physiological measure whose value can vary between people and across measurement conditions, so a single reading is not a fixed personal constant .1
In normal sinus rhythm, the sinoatrial node acts as the heart’s natural pacemaker. Its spontaneous electrical activity sets the basic rhythm, while autonomic input adjusts the rate: parasympathetic activity slows sinoatrial firing and sympathetic activity increases it .2
Reference ranges can help place a resting heart rate in context, but interpretation also depends on the person and the conditions under which the measurement was taken .1,2
References
- Nanchen D Resting heart rate: what is normal?. Heart. 2018. About this source DOI
- Kashou AH, Basit H, Chhabra L Physiology, Sinoatrial Node. StatPearls. 2026. About this source Original source
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