The normal heart rate varies from person to person, but a typical resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, other factors can affect your resting heart rate, such as stress, anxiety, hormones, medication, and physical activity level. Well-trained athletes can have resting heart rates as low as 40 beats per minute. To get the most accurate reading, put your finger over your pulse and count the number of beats in 60 seconds. The best time to get your resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, even before you get out of bed. A lower heart rate is not necessarily a medical problem and can be the result of taking a drug such as a beta-blocker or being physically active.