What your resting heart rate says about your heart health, Delhi's top cardiologist explains

A single number can quietly reveal how fit—or strained—your heart really is, and it isn’t cholesterol or blood pressure. According to Dr Alok Chopra, your resting heart rate may be one of the simplest and most powerful indicators of heart health.

In a recent Instagram video shared on December 22, the senior cardiologist urged people to pay closer attention to their resting heart rate—the number of times the heart beats per minute when the body is completely at rest, such as while sitting calmly or lying down.

“For most people, a healthy resting heart rate ranges between 60 and 80 beats per minute,” Dr Chopra explained. However, those who are physically fit or regularly exercise often record much lower numbers, sometimes in the 40s or 50s. This, he said, reflects a stronger and more efficient heart.

To put it simply, a well-trained heart pumps more blood with each beat. “A less fit heart may need around 70 beats per minute to circulate the same volume of blood that a fitter heart can manage in about 50 beats,” he noted. Fewer beats for the same output mean less strain on the heart over time.

Check out the video here:

But the opposite can also be revealing. A consistently high resting heart rate, Dr Chopra warned, may signal that the heart is under stress. Poor sleep, dehydration, chronic stress, excess caffeine intake, or even an undiagnosed medical condition can push resting heart rate higher than normal.

The encouraging part, he said, is that resting heart rate is not fixed. Lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference. Regular physical activity, meditation or breathing exercises, adequate hydration, balanced nutrition, and quality sleep all help lower and stabilise resting heart rate over time.

Dr Chopra also stressed the importance of tracking the number rather than checking it once. A sudden upward trend in resting heart rate can act as an early warning sign—often flagging trouble before more serious symptoms appear.

“Your body speaks before major problems show up,” he said, urging viewers to listen closely. “So the real question is—what is your resting heart rate telling you today?”

Earlier, Dr Chopra shared “AQI survival guide” for residents battling hazardous pollution levels in Delhi. The 2.8-minute video underscored what health experts have repeatedly warned is no longer a seasonal spike but a prolonged public health crisis. Dr Chopra flagged how children continue attending school on hazardous days and how mask usage has declined despite dangerous AQI readings.