Heart rate 63 on an adult - what does it mean?

Where 63 bpm sits on the adult scale

What a resting pulse of 63 means

That is a healthy resting value. Within the normal range, lower resting rates generally go with better aerobic fitness; very fit adults often sit in the 50s or lower.

Your resting rate varies by several beats from day to day. Measure at the same time — ideally in the morning before getting up — and look at the average over a week rather than a single number.

Ranges apply to adults and children aged 10 and older, measured at rest (American Heart Association). By the numbers: at 63 bpm the heart beats about every 0.95 seconds — roughly 90,720 beats a day.

A steady 63 on a beta blocker

If you take a beta blocker such as metoprolol, atenolol, bisoprolol or propranolol, a resting pulse in the low 60s is often exactly what the prescription is meant to do. These drugs dampen the effect of adrenaline on the heart. The result is a slower, calmer beat at rest and a smaller rise during stress or effort. Doctors use them for high blood pressure, after a heart attack, for heart failure, for some rhythm problems and to prevent migraine, among other reasons.

Other medicines can hold the rate in a similar range. Diltiazem and verapamil, two calcium channel blockers, slow conduction through the heart. Digoxin and ivabradine are used to control rate in specific heart conditions. Some eye drops for glaucoma contain a beta blocker and can have a mild effect too.

Why exercise numbers look different on these drugs

Rate-lowering medicines cap how fast the heart can go, not only how slow it sits at rest. Someone on a beta blocker may find that hard exercise only pushes the pulse into the 110s or 120s, well below what an age-based formula predicts. That makes standard training-zone tables less useful. Many people on these drugs judge effort by breathing and perceived exertion instead, or ask their doctor or a cardiac rehabilitation team for personal targets.

A lower ceiling is expected and does not mean the workout is too easy. Watch how you feel rather than chasing a number the medicine will not allow.

Timing matters as well. Many rate-lowering pills have their strongest effect a few hours after a dose, so a reading taken then may be lower than one taken just before the next dose is due. Measuring at the same point in your dosing schedule makes the log easier to compare.

Points to discuss with your prescriber

Never stop or change a rate-lowering medicine on your own. Stopping a beta blocker suddenly can cause a rebound rise in heart rate and blood pressure, which can be dangerous for some heart conditions.

Do report it if, since starting or increasing the dose, you notice:

• resting readings that fall well below 60 together with dizziness or fainting
• new tiredness, cold hands or breathlessness that limits daily life
• a pulse that feels irregular

Bring a short log of morning readings to the appointment. It helps the doctor decide whether the dose is right. More on this group of drugs and other ways to slow the pulse is on the lowering heart rate page.

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

• 58 bpm
• 59 bpm
• 60 bpm
• 61 bpm
• 62 bpm
• 64 bpm
• 65 bpm
• 66 bpm
• 67 bpm
• 68 bpm

Measured on a child instead? See heart rate 63 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.