Why it's important to know one’s own 

heart rate?
We all know that our heart is one of the most important muscles in our body, the reason why
knowing its state is very necessary. Checking and measuring our heart rates is one of its
priorities since it could tell us if we have heart complications, how’s it doing, and what are the
dos and don’ts we should apply, in short, if there’s something needed to be fix? And how we
could fix it.

Locate/find the different body parts where we can detect our heart rate and explain each pulse.
(Temporal, Carotid, Radial, Brachial and Ulnar Pulses).
Locations:

 WRIST
 NECK
 KNEE
 GROIN
 TEMPLE
 FOOT
 ELBOW

 Radial and Ulnar Pulse (wrist)

Radial Pulse the pulse as appreciated at the radial artery usually in the wrist. A
palpable rhythmic expansion of the radial artery on the volar aspect of the wrist over
the distal radius. A palpable rhythmic expansion of the radial artery on the volar
aspect of the wrist over the distal radius. 

Ulnar Pulse is located on the medial of the wrist (ulnar artery ). Ulnar pulse is
actually fairly important as you're meant to feel for it every time you do an ABG.
Theory being that you don't want to mess with someones radial artery if the ulnar is
already compromised.

Place your index and middle fingers together on the opposite wrist, about 1/2 inch on
the inside of the joint, in line with the index finger. Once you find a pulse, count the
number of beats you feel within a one-minute period.

 Carotid Pulse (neck) 

The carotid pulse (CP) goes through the surface of the body at the neck and is
recorded over the carotid artery. It is a pulse signal demonstrating the variations in
ABP and volume for each heartbeat. As the recording site near to the heart, the CP
signal closely looks like the morphology of the pressure signal at the root of the
aorta.

To measure your heart rate at the neck, place your first two fingers on either side of
the neck until you can feel the beats. Be careful not to press too hard, then count the
number of beats for a minute.
  Brachial Pulse (elbow)

The brachial pulse is commonly taken when you check blood pressure. It’s also the
easiest way to check for a pulse in infants. Taking the brachial pulse is no different
from checking the pulse in your wrist or neck. This method is used most in
young children.

The brachial pulse can be located by feeling the bicep tendon in the area of the
antecubital fossa. Move the pads of your three fingers medial (about 2 cm) from the
tendon and about 2–3 cm above the antecubital fossa to locate the pulse.

 Temporal Pulse (temple)

It is located at the temple area of the head. It is rarely used to obtain a pulse rate
but may be used to monitor circulation, control bleeding from the head and scalp,
and to take a temporal artery temperature.

The easiest place to feel this pulse is to lightly place your fingers on the side of your
head, above and in front of your ear in the area that the earpiece of your sunglasses
would cross. So, with gentle pressure you can actually take a pulse reading like you
might do on your wrist. If you feel pain in that area, with or without touching, it could
indicate a medical issue.

Mention and explain at least 10 factors that can affect our heart rate. (You may include few
pictures)

Exercise

Physical stress, like emotional stress, causes an increased heart rate. And exercise, or any
type of physical exertion, is the healthy response as the body and muscles demand
increased oxygen levels.

Medications

All types of over the counter, prescription, herbal supplements, and illegal drugs will have
an impact on your heart rate.  For instance, ephedrine or cocaine will increase it; while beta
blockers and Valerian calm and slow it down.
Body Temperature

A sudden change in temperature can also affect make the heart rate quicken as blood
immediately rushes to your skin’s surface in order to cool or warm you up.

Glycogen Levels

If the glycogen stores in your body diminish, you will suffer fatigue. However, to properly
fuel muscles, your heart rate will naturally increase to boost your energy levels.

Breathing

During normal respiration the heart rate tends to slow faintly during inspiration (as you take
breath in).

 Emotional Stress

I’m sure when the stress gets heavy; you’ve noticed that your body naturally responds with
a quickening pulse. The same goes for fear, another type of anxiety, which prompts the
flight response and releases hormones that make the heart pump faster.

Cardiovascular Disease

Heart disease occurs due to plaque building up in the arteries, which leads to arrhythmias
followed by heart attack or heart failure. This arrhythmia (or irregular heart beat) will cause
muscle damage, which will result in a decreasing or quickening pulse.

Pressure

Vagal stimulation (or pressure on the body’s special sensors) occur during labor, a bowel
movement, or if we lift a heavy object. The increased pressure causes the blood pressure to
change and the heart often slows in response.
Dehydration

When the body becomes dehydrated (following exercise or lack of fluids over an extended
period) the blood thickens and waste clogs the bloodstream. Your heart will naturally work
harder to flush out waste and maintain normal cardiac output.

Illness

When the body’s immune system becomes compromised—for example, with fever, injury,
anemia, or infection—changes in heart rate can occur. Particularly if septic shock sets in,
the heart rate will naturally quicken to meet oxygen demands.

What is the difference between an athlete’s heart rate from a normal person’s heart rate?

Lower Heart Rate

Athletes' heart rates tend to be lower than heart rates of non-athletes. A low resting heart
rate is generally a sign of good cardiovascular fitness and efficiency. A well-trained athlete
may have a normal resting heart rate of only 40 beats per minute, compared with the
average heart rate that ranges from 60 to 100 beats a minute.