Heart rate 106 on an adult - what does it mean?

Where 106 bpm sits on the adult scale

What a resting pulse of 106 means

Common temporary causes: caffeine or energy drinks, nicotine, alcohol (also the day after), stress or anxiety, fever or infection, dehydration, a large meal, heat, pain, and recent physical activity. Decongestants, asthma inhalers and thyroid medication can also raise the pulse.

Sit quietly for five minutes and measure again. If your resting pulse is repeatedly above 100, causes worth checking include anemia, an overactive thyroid, heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation, and low fitness after illness.

Ranges apply to adults and children aged 10 and older, measured at rest (American Heart Association). By the numbers: at 106 bpm the heart beats about every 0.57 seconds — roughly 152,640 beats a day.

Two energy drinks later: caffeine overload at 106 bpm

One cup of coffee rarely moves a resting pulse much. Large amounts in a short time are a different matter. Caffeine blocks a calming signal in the brain and increases the release of adrenaline-like hormones, which speed the heart. Stack a large coffee, an energy drink and a pre-workout powder in one morning, and a resting pulse of 106 is a very plausible result.

The FDA cites about 400 mg a day as an amount not generally linked to harmful effects in healthy adults. People vary widely in how sensitive they are, and pregnancy, some medicines and heart rhythm problems lower the amount that is comfortable. Energy drinks are where totals add up fastest, because one can may hold as much as two or more cups of coffee, and ingredients such as guarana add caffeine that is not always counted on the front of the label.

Signs you have had too much

• a fast or pounding heartbeat, sometimes with extra beats;
• jitteriness, shaky hands, restlessness;
• nausea, an upset stomach or loose stools;
• a headache or a feeling of anxiety;
• trouble falling asleep, even many hours later.

Caffeine’s effect lasts for several hours, so the pulse may stay raised well into the afternoon after a heavy morning. The best response is simple: stop all caffeine for the day, drink water, eat something, and avoid hard exercise until you feel normal. Walking slowly is fine. Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is a poor idea because the caffeine masks how drunk you feel while both affect the heart.

Finding your personal limit

If you suspect caffeine is behind a high resting rate, run a simple test. For a week, have no more than one regular coffee or tea before noon and nothing else with caffeine, then compare your morning readings with the week before. A drop of several beats points to the cause. Cut back gradually if you drink a lot, since stopping suddenly can bring headaches and tiredness for a few days.

Pure caffeine powders and concentrated pills are especially risky because a tiny measuring error can mean a very large dose. Seek emergency care for chest pain, fainting, a very irregular or extremely fast heartbeat, vomiting that will not stop, confusion or a seizure after a lot of caffeine. For the bigger picture of what lifts a resting rate, see resting heart rate.

For a reliable resting value, sit quietly for five minutes first and average a few mornings: Resting Heart Rate: What It Says About Your Health. You can also measure by tapping along on the start page.

Nearby values

• 101 bpm
• 102 bpm
• 103 bpm
• 104 bpm
• 105 bpm
• 107 bpm
• 108 bpm
• 109 bpm
• 110 bpm
• 111 bpm

Measured on a child instead? See heart rate 106 in a child.

Sources: American Heart Association: All About Heart Rate · MedlinePlus: Pulse · ACSM position stand on exercise intensity (2011)

This page explains a single reading in general terms. It is not a diagnosis. Heart rate alone cannot tell whether the rhythm is regular or whether the heart is healthy — if you are worried, talk to a doctor.