How to Take a Pulse

Your pulse is the increase in pressure inside the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body (arteries). Every time your heart beats, you can feel your pulse in an artery near the surface of your skin.

You can easily feel your pulse in the artery in your wrist (radial artery) and in the artery in your neck (carotid artery). Taking your pulse can tell you how fast your heart is beating and whether it has a normal rhythm. You can also tell whether your heart is beating strongly or weakly.

What you need to know about pulse rates

Your pulse is the same as your heart rate. Both are measured in beats per minute (bpm). A normal resting heart rate varies depending on a person’s age.

• Infants under 1 year of age: Normal heart rate of 100–160 bpm.
• Children 1–2 years of age: Normal heart rate of 90–150 bpm.
• Children 2–5 years of age: Normal heart rate of 80–140 bpm.
• Children 6–12 years of age: Normal heart rate of 70–120 bpm.
• Everyone over 12 years of age: Normal heart rate of 60–100 bpm.

There can be a lot of variation in your pulse. It can be different depending on the time of day or the amount of exercise that you get. It changes with your fitness level. Many things can change the speed and regularity of your pulse. These include:

• Exercise.
• Fever.
• Stress.
• Heart problems.
• Poor circulation.
• Medicines.

How to take your pulse

To take your pulse, all you need is a digital stopwatch or a clock or watch that has a second hand. The best time to measure your resting pulse is in the morning before you start moving around. Take it as soon as you wake up or after resting for about 10 minutes. There are no firm rules about how often to check your pulse. In general, it is a good idea to check your pulse at least once a month. Measuring your pulse is a good way to check your heart health.

Checking your pulse before and after exercise can tell you if you are getting the right amount of exercise. This is called finding your target heart rate. Your target heart rate depends on your age, fitness, and health. Ask your health care provider what would be a safe target heart rate for you during exercise.

Radial Pulse

To check the pulse in your radial artery:

1. Turn one hand palm-up and relax your arm.
2. Place the first two fingers of your other hand gently over your wrist, just below the base of your thumb.
3. Place your fingertips just inside the bone that runs along the outside of your arm.
4. Slowly increase pressure until you feel a pulsing beneath your fingers. You may need to move your fingers slightly.
5. Do not press too hard. Too much pressure may cut off blood supply.
6. Count how many pulse beats you feel in 1 minute. Or, count how many pulse beats you feel in 30 seconds and double that number.
7. Pay attention to the rhythm of the pulse. It should be steady and even.

Carotid Pulse

To check the pulse in your carotid artery:

1. Place two fingers just to one side of your Adam’s apple so that you feel a pulsing beneath your fingers.
2. Do not press too hard. Too much pressure may cut off blood supply and can make you dizzy.
3. Count how many pulse beats you feel in 1 minute. Or, count how many pulse beats you feel in 30 seconds and double that number.
4. Pay attention to the rhythm of the pulse. It should be steady and even.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your pulse is too slow or too fast.
• Your pulse is weak or hard to find.
• You have skipped beats or extra beats.
• Your pulse has an irregular rhythm.
• You have an abnormal pulse along with dizziness, fatigue, or shortness of breath.