How to Lower Resting Heart Rate: 6 Ways That Work

October 3, 2026 avinashmittal

Your resting heart rate is one of the simplest numbers you can track, and lowering it is usually a sign your heart is working more efficiently. Here’s how to lower resting heart rate with habits backed by research, what counts as normal, and when a high or low reading needs a doctor.

Quick answer: A normal resting heart rate for adults is 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to Mayo Clinic. The most reliable way to lower it is regular aerobic exercise. Harvard Health also recommends reducing stress, avoiding tobacco and losing weight if you need to. See a health professional if your resting rate is regularly above 100, or below 60 when you’re not a trained athlete, especially with dizziness, fainting or shortness of breath.

What Is a Normal Resting Heart Rate?

Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats each minute while you’re awake, calm and not moving. Mayo Clinic puts the normal adult range at 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). A lower resting heart rate usually means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard, and very fit athletes may sit closer to 40 bpm.

Resting heart rate (adults)	What it may mean
Below 60 bpm	Common in fit people and during sleep; check with a professional if you’re not a trained athlete and it’s often this low
60 to 100 bpm	Normal range
Above 100 bpm, regularly	Talk with a health professional

According to Cleveland Clinic, many things affect your heart rate, including emotions, weight, fitness level, sleep quality, some medicines, alcohol and caffeine. Pregnancy also raises it.

How to Measure Your Resting Heart Rate

Harvard Health says the best time to check is first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed. Find your pulse at your wrist or the side of your neck, count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by two. Check on a few mornings and use the average.

Smartwatches and fitness trackers make tracking easy, but Mayo Clinic notes they aren’t always accurate, so confirm any unusual reading by hand.

How to Lower Resting Heart Rate: 6 Ways That Work

1. Do Regular Aerobic Exercise

This is the most effective long-term approach. Your heart beats faster during exercise, but Harvard Health explains that exercising every day gradually slows your resting heart rate. A 2018 meta-analysis cited by Medical News Today also found that regular exercise consistently lowered resting heart rate. Brisk walking, swimming and cycling all count, and our guide to whether walking is good exercise explains how to make it brisk enough.

2. Reduce Stress

Stress pushes your heart rate up. Harvard Health says relaxation techniques such as meditation, tai chi and the relaxation response lower resting heart rate over time. Even a few minutes of slow breathing a day is a good place to start.

3. Avoid Tobacco

Smokers have higher resting heart rates, and Harvard Health notes that quitting brings it back down. If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your heart overall.

4. Lose Weight if You Need To

The larger the body, the harder the heart has to work to supply it with blood. Losing extra weight can help slow an elevated resting heart rate. Pairing more daily steps with modest changes to what you eat is a practical start: see how many steps a day to lose weight.

5. Watch Alcohol and Caffeine

Cleveland Clinic lists alcohol and caffeine among the things that affect heart rate. If your resting rate is high, cutting back on alcohol and noticing how caffeine affects you is worth trying. Normal tea or coffee intake, though, hasn’t been reliably shown to raise resting heart rate through dehydration, according to Medical News Today.

6. Stay Hydrated and Sleep Well

One small 2017 study found that drinking about 335 ml of water lowered resting heart rate over the following 30 minutes. Sleep quality affects heart rate too, according to Cleveland Clinic, so a regular sleep routine supports a healthier number.

How Long Does It Take to Lower Resting Heart Rate?

There’s no fixed timeline. Changes from regular exercise build gradually as your fitness improves, so think in weeks to months rather than days. Quick fixes like slow breathing can calm your heart rate in the moment, but lasting change comes from consistent habits.

When to See a Doctor

Mayo Clinic advises talking with a health professional if:

Your resting heart rate is regularly above 100 bpm
You’re not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is often below 60 bpm
You also have symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath

Cleveland Clinic advises getting medical help right away if your heart rate is below 35 to 40 bpm or above 100 bpm and you have symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain or dizziness. If you have chest pain or severe shortness of breath, call emergency services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good resting heart rate?

For adults, 60 to 100 bpm is normal. A rate toward the lower end often reflects better fitness.

Can drinking water lower your heart rate?

A small study found a short-term drop after drinking water. Staying hydrated helps, but regular exercise has a bigger, longer-lasting effect.

Is a resting heart rate of 90 bad?

It’s within the normal range of 60 to 100 bpm. If it’s consistently on the high side, lifestyle changes like regular exercise may bring it down, and it’s worth mentioning at your next checkup.

Does anxiety raise resting heart rate?

Emotions and stress can raise heart rate. Relaxation techniques such as meditation can help lower it over time.

How fast can you lower your resting heart rate?

Slow breathing can calm your heart rate within minutes, but lowering your resting rate takes consistent exercise and healthy habits over weeks to months.

The Bottom Line

A normal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 bpm. If you want to know how to lower resting heart rate, the most reliable answer is regular aerobic exercise, supported by less stress, no tobacco, a healthy weight, less alcohol, good hydration and good sleep. See a health professional if your rate is often above 100 or unusually low, especially with symptoms.