Resting heart rate is nothing but the number of times your heart 'beats per minute'  when you are lying down and breathing slowly.For an adult, a normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 80 beats a minute. For a well-trained athlete, a normal resting heart rate may be closer to 40 beats a minute. Most of the time, tachycardia is caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. If you don’t have a good explanation for a resting heart rate above 85, especially if you have other signs or symptoms, such as dizziness, fainting or shortness of breath.See your doctor to get a thorough examination people who have high resting heart rates for a long period of time are at higher risk of dying from heart disease.A high resting heart rate is a sign of cardiovascular health independent of other risk factors like hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), diabetes, obesity and smoking.
Measuring your resting heart rate is a very simple process. You will get the most accurate reading of your resting heart rate first thing in the morning.You can do this by counting your pulse for one minute while still in bed.