Phillips-Fit

Blood Pressure:

Blood pressure is the measure of the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries as it is pumped though the body. The higher this measurement, the higher the workload (strain) on the heart. High blood pressure (Hypertension) can be caused by a number of things such as narrowing of the arteries, kidney disease, diabetes and stress. Blood pressure is expressed as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure (systolic is the pressure during a heart beat - higher pressure and diastolic is the pressure between heart beats - lower pressure). A normal blood pressure reading would be 120/80. A consistent reading of 140/90 or greater would be considered to be high and a health risk. Regular physical exercise can help to normalise your blood pressure.

 

Resting Heart Rate:

Your resting heart rate is determined by how many times your heart beats in one minute (BPM), this is typically between 60-80 BPM. This is a good general indication of your fitness level, the lower your resting heart rate the higher your fitness level. If your heart is beating 60 times a minute insteat of 80 times a minute then your heart will beat 86,400 times in 24 hours (assuming you are at rest) as opposed to 115,200 times at 80 BPM, thats 28,800 less beats per day therefore less workload for the heart. Through regular physical exercise your fitness improves resulting in a lower resting heart rate.