Is your heart beating fast? Whether after exercise or at rest, you can measure your heart rate at any time with a simple smartphone and a specialized application.
It has become a basic function of any bracelet or connected watch: heart rate measurement. Corresponding to the number of beats per minute (BPM), it is a good indicator of the condition of the heart. At rest, this rhythm should be between 55 and 85 BPM in a healthy adult. This average obviously varies depending on age, gender and physical condition. But you still need to be equipped to take the measurement.
You don’t have a specific device such as an armband, a watch or a connected bracelet? Do you feel anxious or feel like your heart is beating a little faster than usual? If you want to measure your heart rate, you can use the traditional method which consists of placing three fingers on the left wrist, at the level of the vein, and counting the number of pulses perceived for thirty seconds. You will then have to multiply the figure by two to obtain the number of beats per minute. If you are unsure, however, there is another way. And it’s your smartphone accompanied by an app that will help you.
The method is not new but it works quite well. Your smartphone, equipped with a photo sensor and a flash, can allow you to obtain a fairly good estimate of your heart rate. To achieve this, simply equip it with a specific app. Then, it is by pressing the tip of the index finger directly on the lens that the measurement is carried out. The camera’s flash, generally placed near the lens, remains on during the operation. It allows the photo sensor to capture blood flow at the tip of the index finger.
On the app side, we recommend Heart Rate available on iPhone and Android. Despite the advertising displayed, it allows a measurement that we found to be rather reliable. We only noticed a difference of two or three BMP between the analysis carried out by the app and that of an Apple Watch Ultra. Heart Rate is a free app and it is obviously not the only one available on the Google and Apple online stores. You can find others by typing the term “heart rate monitor” in the search field of the two stores. All the apps offered are based on the same principle.
If your heart rate is higher than average and higher than usual, don’t panic. Repeat the operation several times a few minutes apart to check the variations. And if the rate remains high, the best thing is to go to your pharmacist who will be able to confirm, or not, the measurement taken by your smartphone. If so, a visit to the doctor is necessary.