How can I lower my pulse rate?

Performing cardio respiratory endurance activities will help to lower your pulse rate. Working the muscles of the heart trains them to work more efficiently. The heart contracts (heart beat) to push blood through the arteries that travel to the entire body. When you have a fast heart rate, your heart has to work harder to push a certain volume of blood through your entire system. Cardio respiratory exercises train and build up your heart muscles much like lifting weights increases your strength and ability to lift more weight. When your heart is strengthened, with each contraction your heart is able to push more blood through the body with a single beat. This results in not having to beat as often to push the same amount of blood through its system. In other words, regular exercise is able to lower your resting heart rate and your exercise heart rate at any given level of activity.

It is recommended that you perform cardio respiratory exercise most days per week for a minimum of 30 minutes. Examples of cardio respiratory exercises are walking, jogging, biking and elliptical.

(This answer provided for NATA by the King College Athletic Training Education Program.)