If you're sleeping or if you're a young, healthy adult or very fit, it can be normal to have a heart rate of 40 – 60 bpm.
In general, for adults, a resting heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute (BPM) qualifies as bradycardia. There are exceptions. Your heart rate may fall below 60 BPM during deep sleep. Physically active adults (and athletes) often have a resting heart rate slower than 60 BPM.
The main symptom of bradycardia is a heart rate below 60 beats per minute. This abnormally low heart rate can cause the brain and other organs to become oxygen-deprived, which can lead to symptoms such as: Fainting. Dizziness.
During sleep, it is normal for a person's heart rate to slow down below the range for a typical resting heart rate. Between 40 to 50 beats per minute (bpm) is considered an average sleeping heart rate for adults, though this can vary depending on multiple factors.
A normal heart rate for seniors is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
Summary: Bradycardia -- a slower than normal heartbeat -- does not increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study. The heart usually beats between 60 and 100 times a minute in an adult at rest.
Other possible causes
A number of other conditions can cause a slowed heart rate: Congenital heart defects. Vitamin deficiencies such as beriberi (low thiamine) Infections such as Lyme disease or Chagas disease.
If your heart rate is consistently above 100 beats per minute or below 60 beats per minute (and you're not an athlete) and if you are experiencing any symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, chest pain, breathlessness then you may need to visit a hospital.
Records. Daniel Green holds the world record for the slowest heartbeat in a healthy human, with a heart rate measured in 2014 of 26 BPM.
A specific type of bradycardia called junctional bradycardia, in which the heart rate is below 40 beats per minute, may be associated with ischemic stroke, a type of stroke in which a blood vessel to the brain is obstructed or blocked.
Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others. Heart failure means the heart has failed to pump the way it should in order to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
A “normal” RHR falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute. An RHR under 60 can indicate that you're more physically fit and may be associated with better heart function. An RHR that is above 100 beats per minute can reflect exposure to stress, excessive caffeine consumption or an illness.
Bradycardia treatment may include lifestyle changes, medication changes or an implanted device called a pacemaker. If an underlying health problem, such as thyroid disease or sleep apnea, is causing the slow heart rate, treatment of that condition might correct bradycardia.
The normal range is between 50 and 100 beats per minute. If your resting heart rate is above 100, it's called tachycardia; below 60, and it's called bradycardia. Increasingly, experts pin an ideal resting heart rate at between 50 to 70 beats per minute.
What many may not realize is that anxiety can cause the heartbeat to slow down as well. It's not that common, but it is possible, and in some cases the issue may not be a slow heartbeat at all but your own mind telling you that your heart rate is abnormal even when this isn't necessarily the case.
Unless you feel tired, dizzy, or weak, there's usually no cause for concern, especially because it sounds like you're in good physical shape. Endurance athletes and other people who exercise a great deal often have lower-than-average heart rates, sometimes even below 40 beats per minute.
Eat a heart-healthy diet that includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, lean meat, fish, and whole grains. Limit alcohol, sodium, and sugar.
Rapid or Irregular Heartbeat The heart may speed up to compensate for its failing ability to adequately pump blood throughout the body. Patients may feel a fluttering in the heart (palpitations) or a heartbeat that seems irregular or out of rhythm.
A slower than typical heartbeat (bradycardia) can prevent the brain and other organs from getting enough oxygen, possibly causing these signs and symptoms: Chest pain. Confusion or memory problems. Dizziness or lightheadedness.
The most common cause of a low heart rate is a malfunction in the heart's sinus node, its natural pacemaker. This area sends our electrical signals telling the top and bottom heart chambers the timing of when to pump blood through the body.
The normal resting heart rate for adults over the age of 10 years, including older adults, is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).