Heart rate

Do you know your resting heart rate? It's one of the easiest ways to calculate the health of

your heart. A study at  Georgetown University found that people with the highest resting heart

rates, over 76, were more likely to have a heart attack than those with the lowest rate, 62 or

under.Take your pulse after resting, not  talking much and not smoking for 20 minutes. It

could be higher on stressful days, when you are very tired or  when you are coming down

with a cold. Check your pulse by placing a finger under your wrist. Count the  number of beats

for 15 seconds and multiply by four. Or count the beats for a full minute. Drugstore blood

pressure machines calculate your pulse rate and blood pressure at the same time. Regular

exercise can lower a heart rate and relaxation strategies can help too. Breathing exercises,

meditation and peaceful music can lower it.