Causes of high pulse rate in adults

A normal heart rate is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. It’s normal for your heart rate to increase at different points in the day with exercise or stress. 

Your heart rate changes throughout the day. Some people measure their heart rate during exercise to get an idea of how hard their heart is working. Your resting heart rate refers to how fast your heart beats when you’re at rest, and this can also help to understand your heart health. 

Many factors can affect your resting heart rate. And a higher heart rate does not always mean there’s a medical problem or heart condition. Your heart rate might be high because of stress, caffeine, or a lack of sleep. Your recent food and water intake, and even some supplements, can lead to a higher heart rate. 

But there are also important medical conditions that make the pulse race. In this article, we’ll explore the issues that can affect your resting heart rate. And we’ll discuss when it’s important to seek medical care.

What is a normal heart rate?

A normal resting heart rate will be a little different for each person. The average adult’s heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. But many things affect where someone’s heart rate usually lives within that range, including:

• Fitness: People with good cardiovascular fitness — like athletes — tend to have lower resting heart rates. Their resting heart may even be in the 50s. 

• Age: The average adult between the ages of 18 to 30 usually has a heart rate in the low 80s. This decreases as they get older. Adults 50 to 80 years old typically run in the low 70s.

• Sex: The average woman has a heart rate of 79. The average man clocks in at 74.

Take these averages with a grain of salt. It’s completely normal if your heart rate falls above or below average. 

How do I know my resting heart rate?

To take your resting heart rate, make sure you’re sitting and have not recently exerted yourself. You can usually find your pulse by feeling the inside of your wrist, just below the base of your thumb. You will feel a soft, pounding sensation there. You can count how many times you feel this in 1 minute, or you can count it for 10 seconds and multiply by 6. 

If you have a smartwatch or other electronic heart monitor, you may be able to get an electronic read out of your heart rate. Most of the time these devices are fairly accurate.

What causes a high heart rate?

On a normal day, your heart rate will fluctuate based on what you’re doing, what you’re eating, and how you’re feeling. (We’ll go over the medical conditions that can affect heart rate in the next section.) 

Here are some of the things you might do, take, or experience that can make your heart rate go above the normal 100 beats per minute:

• Exercise: When you exercise, it’s normal for your heart rate to rise. In most cases, it returns to normal within about 10 minutes of resting. 

• Stress: Stress or anxiety raises your heart rate. That’s because these conditions cause your body to release adrenaline, a stress hormone. Usually this is a short-term issue and isn’t harmful. But chronic stress can increase your resting heart rate. 

• Poor sleep quality: If you don’t get enough sleep, your heart rate may be higher the next day. Just missing 1 hour of sleep is enough to raise your resting heart rate.

• Sugar: Sugary foods and beverages will raise your blood sugar levels. And this may cause your heart rate to rise. 

• Caffeine: Most people can enjoy 1 to 2 cups of tea or coffee without side effects. But if you’re sensitive to caffeine, or if you overdo it, it may temporarily bump up your heart rate. Energy drinks often have high amounts of caffeine and sugar, so it’s best to avoid them.

• Alcohol: Drinking alcohol often causes your heart rate to increase. As the alcohol wears off, your pulse should return to normal. Less commonly, drinking can trigger dangerous heart rhythms, like atrial fibrillation. 

• Tobacco: Tobacco in any form can raise your resting heart rate. But it’s not just the direct effects on the heart. People who smoke often have lung conditions that make the heart work harder. 

• Supplements: The term “supplements” covers a broad range of products. The FDA doesn’t directly regulate these products, so you don’t always know what you’re getting. Any supplement marketed to boost energy may have ingredients that raise the heart rate — so can supplements that affect hormone balance or weight loss. 

• Substance use: Cocaine, amphetamines, and some other drugs raise your heart rate. Usually the pulse returns to normal when the drugs wear off. But these substances can also cause heart damage that can lead to congestive heart failure. If that happens, you may have a persistently high pulse rate. 

What medical conditions can raise the heart rate?

It’s normal for the heart rate to vary from hour to hour or day to day. But if your heart rate stays over 100 beats per minute, it may be a sign of a medical condition. 

Common medical causes of a fast heart rate include:

• Anemia: Anemia means you do not have enough red blood cells in the body. Iron deficiency is the most common cause. This might be due to things like heavy menstrual cycles, stomach ulcers or other gastrointestinal issues, or low iron intake or absorption. 

• Hyperthyroidism: Too much thyroid hormone in the bloodstream can cause the heart to race. This can be a result of a thyroid condition like Graves’ disease. It can also be due to taking too much prescription thyroid hormone, which is used to treat hypothyroid. 

• Infections: Infections of any kind put stress on the body and often raise the resting heart rate. This is especially true if you have a fever. 

• Pregnancy: During pregnancy, your body takes on additional work as the fetus grows. As a result, your average heart rate increases by about 20 beats per minute. That means that if you usually run a pulse of 80, it may increase to 100. In most pregnancies, the heart adapts to these changes without any problem.

• Arrhythmias: Heart rhythm problems can speed up your heart rate or make it irregular. These include atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. You’ll often experience palpitations (strong heart beats) or dizziness with these conditions. 

• Cardiomyopathy: A less common cause of a fast heart rate is a weak or abnormally stiff heart muscle. This can lead to congestive heart failure. Other symptoms include shortness of breath (especially when lying flat) and swelling in the legs. This problem is more common in people over 60, but it can happen at any age. 

• Pulmonary embolism: Blood clots in the lungs can cause shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate. These clots usually start in the legs before traveling to the chest. Common causes include cancer, pregnancy, and long periods of immobility. COVID-19 infection also raises your risk of this potentially life-threatening condition.

Medications that can raise your heart rate

Medications can also raise your heart rate. These include:

Check in with your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you’re concerned your medications are affecting your heart rate. 

When should I see my healthcare provider about my heart rate? 

Even if there’s an obvious reason why your heart rate is high, it can still be hard to know when you should see a provider. An elevated heart rate can be the first warning sign of many different things going on in the body, so you should never be shy about asking for help when something doesn’t seem right.

It isn’t normal for your heart rate to stay over 100 beats per minute. If this happens, be sure to see your provider. There are also other symptoms you should not ignore. 

The following red flags are good reasons to see your provider as soon as possible:

• A heart rate that feels faster than your normal

• Palpitations that last for more than a few minutes

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain, pressure, or tightness (either at rest or with exercise)

• Fainting, lightheadedness, or dizziness

• New swelling in one or both of your legs

And if you’re having trouble getting in touch with your provider, these are all good reasons to visit your nearest emergency room. Do not wait for a scheduled visit if your symptoms feel severe or get worse.

The bottom line

Most of the time a fast heart rate settles down by itself. Pay attention to your stress level, your food and drink intake, and whether you’re getting enough sleep. It also helps to avoid caffeine, stimulants, alcohol, and supplements if your heart rate is running a little high. But don’t delay a visit to your healthcare provider if your pulse is persistently over 100, is unexpectedly high, or you have symptoms. A provider can quickly help you get to the root of the problem. 

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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