Beth Skwarecki

Beth Skwarecki Senior Health Editor

Experience

Beth Skwarecki is Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor, and holds certifications as a personal trainer and weightlifting coach. She has been writing about health for over 10 years.

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May 1, 2026

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Credit: Beth Skwarecki

Table of Contents

Our hearts beat faster when we exercise, which is why heart-rate training can be so useful. But when we aren’t doing anything, our heart rate can still be useful to know. Most wearables, including smart rings and watches, will report your resting heart rate (RHR). Here's how to understand what it's telling you.

Medical professionals usually consider anything between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm) to be a “normal” resting heart rate. But this isn't a guideline for the number you see on wearables.…