Heart Rate Variability Normal Range

HRV is highly individualized, with differences linked to factors such as age, gender, physical fitness level, and overall health. Furthermore, HRV fluctuates daily due to a variety of factors including stress levels, sleep patterns, workload, and physical activity. Consequently, defining a universal “good” HRV range is challenging. Nonetheless, the significance of HRV as a key indicator of health and well-being cannot be overstated, particularly when considering personal baselines and daily variations. ^{[1], [2], [8]}

What is a good heart rate variability range?

A heart rate variability normal range for adults can extend from below 20 to over 70 milliseconds at rest, as measured by the RMSSD parameter ^[4]. However, it’s crucial to remember that heart variability rate can vary significantly among individuals, influenced by factors like age, gender, fitness, and overall health. For instance, young athletes at rest may exhibit variability exceeding 200 milliseconds.

As we age, our HRV score tends to decrease, a trend linked to the autonomic nervous system’s dysfunction and the aging cardiovascular system, raising the risk of chronic health conditions. A good heart rate variability chart by age and gender is discussed below.

Heart rate variability chart by age

While HRV naturally decreases with age due to factors like the stiffening of arteries and degeneration of the nervous system, lifestyle factors and diseases also play a significant role. Unhealthy habits and conditions such as decreased physical activity, poor diet, stress, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption, as well as diabetes, hypertension, and heart conditions, can exacerbate HRV decline ^[5]. Conversely, a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise can improve HRV and mitigate cardiovascular aging.

Data from the Autonomic Aging dataset ^{[3], [6]} shows a marked decline in HRV after age 40, although mean heart rate remains relatively unchanged across age groups. The average PNS index shifts from positive to negative at age 40, indicating decrease in parasympathetic nervous system activity.

HRV chart by age groups:

Heart rate variability chart by Gender

In general, the impact of gender on HRV is less pronounced than that of age. Most of the research studies are showing females having a higher average resting heart rate than males. Gender differences in resting HRV are varied, but these distinctions tend to diminish in older age groups.

The Autonomic Aging dataset illustrates that females typically have a somewhat higher resting heart rate until the age of 40-45 and often show higher RMSSD values across most age groups, though the differences become negligible with advancing age. This information provides insights into good heart rate variability across different genders and age groups.

HRV chart by gender and age:

What is a good HRV while sleeping?

In general, heart rate is low and heart rate variability is high during nighttime. During sleep, the parasympathetic nervous system activity dominates, lowering heart rate, body temperature, and relaxing muscles. Our heart rate while sleeping can be 20-30% below the resting HR measured during daytime.

Higher HRV during nighttime has been linked to deeper sleep stages, while during REM sleep increased sympathetic activity may lower HRV ^[9]. If variability of heart rate is abnormally low at night, it is an indication of poor sleep quality and possible sleep disorder. ^[7]