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Heart rate monitoring watches can help people track their heart rate during activity and rest. Our picks for best heart rate monitoring watches include Fitbit, Garmin, and Polar.
The table below summarises the main features of some of the best heart rate tracking watches:
| Guide price | Battery life | Water-resistance | Music control | Touchscreen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitbit Charge 6 | around $160 | 7 days + | up to 50 meters | yes | yes |
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | around $199 | 14 days + | up to 50 meters | yes | no |
| Google Pixel Watch | around $119 to $240 | 24 hours | up to 50 meters | yes | yes |
| Polar Vantage V2 | around $460+ | 40 hours + | up to 100 meters | yes | yes |
| Apple Watch Series 8 | around $399 | 18 hours + | up to 50 meters | yes | yes |
| Whoop 4.0 | around $230 | 4 days + | up to 10 meters | no | no |
| Amazfit Band 7 | around $50 | 18 days + | up to 50 meters | yes | yes |
| Fitbit Versa 4 | around $195 | 6 days + | up to 50 meters | yes | yes |
| Garmin Vivosmart 5 | around $150 | 7 days | up to 50 meters | yes | yes |
Medical News Today chooses fitness equipment that meets the following criteria:
- Price: MNT chooses products available for a wide range of budgets.
- Connectivity: Where fitness equipment has fitness memberships or subscriptions, MNT ensures variation in services that benefit a person’s health.
- Materials: MNT chooses products that have safe and durable materials that are easy to clean and maintain.
- Ease of use: MNT selects simple-to-use products that have clear instructions. If set-up is complicated, MNT chooses brands that offer a set-up or installation service.
- Quality: MNT chooses companies that adhere to high quality manufacturing processes that ensure its products are safe for personal use.
- Reputable: MNT chooses products from businesses that adhere to industry best practices and that offer reliable customer service and support.
A heart rate monitor measures a person’s heart rate in real time and records the data for the user. It is popular with people who like to measure their heart rate while exercising.
The two most common ways to measure heart rate are by using electrical and optical monitors.
Electrical monitors use both a monitor or transmitter, usually on a chest strap, and a receiver. The monitor or transmitter detects a heartbeat and sends it to the receiver, which then displays the heart rate on a screen.
Optical monitors measure a person’s heart rate by
What is a good resting heart rate by age?
The
| Age | Target resting heart rate (bpm) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 100 to 170 |
| 30 | 95 to 162 |
| 40 | 90 to 153 |
| 50 | 85 to 145 |
| 60 | 80 to 136 |
| 70 | 75 to 128 |
While changes in heart rate are natural, especially when a person is exercising, consistently high or low heart rate may require medical help.
Additionally, people need to seek
- chest pain or discomfort
- shortness of breath
- lightheadedness or dizziness
- heart palpitations
- pain or discomfort in the neck, jaw, or arms
Chest strap monitors provide the most accurate results when measuring heart rate. Other devices, such as smartwatches, can also track and measure heart rate.
If a person does not have access to any devices, they can track their heart rate manually. According to the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom, the best way to measure heart rate manually is to find the pulse in the wrist or neck.
To find the pulse at the wrist, people can place their index and middle finger at the base of the thumb on the inside of the wrist. To find the pulse in the neck, individuals can place their index and middle finger at the side of the throat, underneath the jaw, and beside the windpipe.
Then, they can set a timer for 60 seconds and count the heartbeats. Alternatively, they can count the heartbeats for 30 seconds and multiply the number by two.
Wrist heart rate monitors are reasonably accurate.
One study found that these devices are 80% to 90% accurate in their data findings. However, chest straps that use electrocardiography are more accurate than wrist heart rate monitors.
Many smartwatches can track heart rate at rest, during exercise, and at night. While there are many options and styles, people may wish to choose theirs based on personal preference and the features they want, such as long battery life, GPS, and water resistance.
Runners and exercise enthusiasts may wish to consider more expensive watches that can track various physical activities. In contrast, people who simply want to monitor their heart health may opt for a simple watch they can wear every day that tracks their heartbeat.
Please note: Medical News Today does not imply warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or endorse any of these applications. Nobody at MNT has evaluated these apps for medical accuracy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved them unless otherwise indicated.