Normal Pulse Rate for Women

The heart is one of the most essential organs in the human body, responsible for pumping blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. The pulse rate is one of the most important and yet straightforward ways to assess your heart’s health. For women, especially, understanding what constitutes a normal pulse rate and why it matters can be a key step in maintaining overall wellness. In this blog, we will provide you with everything you need to know about the rhythm of your heart, enabling you to take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.

What is a Normal Pulse Rate for Women?

Our heart rate or pulse rate is the number of times our heart beats each minute (bpm). The rate of this rhythm varies directly with your cardiovascular health. In healthy grown-up women, the average resting pulse rate is somewhere between 60 to 100 bpm. This range can, however, be affected by a number of factors, such as physical activity, dehydration, hormonal change, and more. 

The average female pulse is generally between 78 and 82 bpm, slightly higher than the average for men. The main cause of this is that women's hearts are usually smaller and have to beat at a higher pace to circulate equivalent blood. A high or a low resting pulse rate may at times also reflect a health problem. 

Here’s the breakdown of the average pulse for a woman by age:

Why Average Pulse Rate for Female and Men Differ?

The average size of a women’s heart is slightly smaller than that of men. A lesser heart contains less blood volume to pump through the body; it has to beat a little faster. This physiological variation is the reason that the average female pulse is frequently a few beats per minute faster than average of the average male pulse. The difference is also caused by the changes in hormonal activities that occur in the life of a female.

Factors Affecting Normal Female Pulse Rate

Knowing your pulse rate can be influenced by your lifestyle and emotional state, and even the time of day. Let’s discuss some of the factors that affect the rhythm of your heart, so you have some idea what could be behind alterations in your pulse.

• Physical Activity: During exercise, your heart rate increases to enhance the availability of more oxygen to your muscles.
• Fitness Level: The fitter you are, the better your heart will be at pumping blood, and in most cases can be reflected by a lower rest pulse rate.
• Emotional Condition: Stress, anxiety, excitement, and other emotional encounters can lead to a rise in female normal pulse rate.
• Hormonal Changes: Fluctuations in hormones during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can affect the average pulse rate for female.
• Medications: Medication for the beta-blocker, along with some cold and asthma medicines, can also affect the normal female pulse.
• Caffeine and Nicotine: Such stimulants may temporarily increase your heart rate.
• Dehydration: When you become dehydrated, your blood volume drops, causing your heart to work harder to pump and beat quickly, increasing the heart rate. 
• Fever: Raised body temperature may also cause an equivalent increase in pulse rate.

Abnormal pulse rate

You should understand when an acceleration or slowing in the average pulse rate for female is a cause of concern. Talk to your physician in case:

• You never have a resting pulse rate of less than 60 bpm (bradycardia) or more than 100 bpm (tachycardia), except for a trained athlete.
• There is an abrupt change in pulse rate which you cannot explain.
• Your pulse rate is irregular pulse rate, meaning there is an unusual space between your heartbeats.
• You have dizziness, difficulty breathing, fainting, and chest pains in addition to an abnormal pulse rate.
  
   

These might be the indicators of an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) or other heart issues that demand care. It is not unusual to experience certain changes in your pulse rate; however, at times,h an abnormally high or low pulse reading will be indicative of some type of medical disorder.

How to Check Your Pulse Rate at Home?

Checking your pulse rate at home requires no special equipment, just a few minutes of your time. Here’s a step-by-step instruction on how to effectively calculate your pulse rate.

• Locate your pulse: The two most common body parts for locating your pulse are on the inner wrist (radial artery) and the side of the neck (carotid artery).
• With the right fingers: With the tips of your index and middle fingers, press the artery tenderly. Never use your thumb because it has its pulse and may cause you to have a wrong reading.
• Beat counting: The procedure takes 30 seconds to be completed, so count the number of beats that you sense and multiply it by two to find the number of beats per minute (bpm).

At What Point is the Best Time to Measure?

The best time to measure your pulse rate is in the morning, just after waking up while still in the bed to get your correct resting heart rate. What you need to do is count the number of beats you hear in 30 seconds and multiply by 2 and that will give you your beats per minute.

Healthy Heart Tips

There are some things you can do to keep your pulse rate within an acceptable range and to enhance overall cardiovascular health:

• A moderate intensity aerobic workout session for 150 minutes or a intense 75-minute aerobic session is recommended twice a week or more.
• Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. 
• Reduce saturated and trans fats, sodium and additional sugar.
• Try relaxation strategies like deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
• Sleep properly for at least 6-8 hours.
• Avoid too much intake of caffeine or alcohol, and smoking.
  
   

Wrapping Up

Your pulse rate is much more than just a number; it is an essential element of your heart's health. By understanding and recognising the factors that influence the pulse rate for women, it can help you get a valuable insight into your body’s inner workings. 

This information will help you make informed lifestyle decisions and know when it might be time to see the doctor. This is where a good extensive health insurance programme can help you by providing the much-needed financial buffer as a safety net to cover you and your family in case of a serious illness or accident. This will help in saving you and your family from facing a financial burden. 

We at Niva Bupa take care of your health as your true health-life partner. Our health insurance plans cover aims to give you the best care possible without the fear of spending so much. With a wide hospital network of 10,400+ and a claim settlement ratio of 91.6% you can always receive good quality healthcare; you can count on us! 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How dangerous is it to have a low pulse rate for a woman?

   A regular pulse rate, less than 60 bpm, is regarded as low (bradycardia). Visiting a physician is necessary if you feel dizzy, weak, or faint.

    

2. Can hormones affect women's normal pulse rate?

   Yes, temporary fluctuations in the resting heart rate may occur when an aspect of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause affects the hormonal levels.

    

3. Why is the average female pulse higher than that of my male companion?

   The average pulse rate for females is faster than that of men because women tend to have slightly smaller hearts than men do, and thus women require their hearts to beat faster to distribute the same volume of blood.

    

4. Is the pulse rate affected by old age?

   Health complications with age are complementary, although the resting heart rate should not change too much. Consult your doctor if you notice any unexplained changes.

    

5. What is the pulse rate vs blood pressure?

   The number of times that your heart beats in a given minute is termed the pulse rate, whereas the tension of blood against the walls of your arteries is known as blood pressure.

    

6. What are natural ways to reduce resting heart rate?

   To lower your resting heart rate, engage in aerobic exercise, proper body weight management, stress management and staying off stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine will help improve your resting heart rate.