Heart rate 60 - good or bad?
It depends on who was measured and what they were doing. Here is the short answer for 60 beats per minute:
Adult at rest
NormalA resting heart rate of 60 bpm is within the normal adult range of 60–100 bpm.
Adult details →Child at rest
Normal for some agesA heart rate of 60 bpm is within the normal resting range for: 10 years and older. It is below the normal range at 0–1 mo, 1–11 mo, 1–2 yr, 3–4 yr, 5–6 yr, 7–9 yr.
Child details →Who was measured?
Why the answer changes with age
Small hearts pump less blood per beat, so they have to beat faster. A newborn's normal resting pulse can be anywhere from 70 to 190 bpm; by age 10 it settles into the adult range of 60–100 bpm. A pulse of 150 can be perfectly normal for a three-month-old and worrying in an adult at rest. The same rule holds across mammals: a mouse's heart beats around 500 times a minute, an elephant's about 30.
60 bpm during exercise
60 bpm is below half of the estimated maximum heart rate at every adult age, so it is a resting-range value, not an exercise intensity. During light activity most adults are already above 90 bpm.
Check another reading
Nearby values
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.