Indeed, Resting heart rate, which is the average heart rate when the body is in a state of complete relaxation, has been widely studied by scientists and it has shown that a low Resting heart rate is correlated with a higher life expectancy, higher overall wellness and a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

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We will focus on the factors that contribute to reduce your RHR. The opposite factors increase your RHR and deteriorate your well-being.

Sleep well

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The best way to reduce your RHR is to sleep well. It is the foundation of good wellness, the more rested you are and the more in shape you will be. Give your body time to regenerate. Without rest, your RHR can only be high.

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Physical exercises

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Introduce regular aerobic exercise into your routine can lead to a significant improvement in your rhr. Even if you only exercise a little, it works. However, the American Heart and Stroke Association recommends moderate to intense exercise for at least 2.5 hours a week, provided you are in good health. Fast walking is a good example of this type of exercise.

• Try to do 40 minutes of moderate to intense exercise three to four times a week.
• Also, do stretching and flexibility exercises such as yoga.
• Try to combine these exercises with two strength training sessions per week.
  
  

Studies show adaptation after several months of training (6 months). When starting an endurance sport, it is essential to start slowly and increase the duration, frequency and intensity of exercise as you go along.

Healthy Diet

In addition to exercise, go for a healthy diet. If you are overweight, this is another reason to eat a healthy diet in order to lose weight and reduce the pressure on your heart, thus reducing your Resting Heart Rate.

Avoid smoking

In addition to the other damages that tobacco causes to your body, it is known that smokers have a higher resting heart rate and average heart rate than non-smokers.

Reduce your caffeine intake

Caffeine-based products such as coffee and tea are known to increase RHR. If you think your RHR is elevated, reduce your caffeine intake to help lower it. Consuming more than two cups of coffee per day can contribute to side effects, including an increase in heart rate.

Avoid alcohol

Alcohol consumption is one of the main contributors to be associated with an increase in RHR or a high heart rate in general.

Reduce your stress level

It is not easy to reduce your stress level, but it will lower your RHR for sure. Try to take some time every day to relax and take a deep breath.

Practice meditation and breathing exercises

Meditation and relaxation training will help improve your overall wellness. There is a simple but powerful breathing method called 4-7-8 method that is used by the military and ancient yogi that will calm yourself, increase your natural defense and lower your RHR over time. 

You can read the article on How to lower your time to fall asleep to know more about the 4-7-8 method. We also recommend you to read How Circular tracks your Resting heart rate and how to use it.

Scientific sources:

• Effects of Exercise on the Resting Heart Rate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventional Studies. J Clin Med. Anne Kerstin Reimers,Guido Knapp, and Carl-Detlev Reimers. 2018 Dec.
• Association between Resting Heart Rate and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Brazilian Adolescents. Biomed Res Int. Diego Augusto Santos Silva,Tiago Rodrigues de Lima, and Mark Stephen Tremblay. 2018.
• Heart Rate During Sleep: Implications for Monitoring Training Status. J Sports Sci Med. Miriam R. Waldeck and Michael I. Lambert. 2003 Dec.
• Your resting heart rate can reflect your current and future health. Matthew Solan. Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch. June 17, 2016, updated february 06, 2019.