Normal HRV by Age

What's Normal? It Depends.

"Normal" HRV varies dramatically based on age, sex, fitness level, and individual genetics. A 25-year-old athlete might have RMSSD of 80ms while a healthy 55-year-old has 35ms—both are perfectly normal for their demographics. Even within the same age group, the range from 10th to 90th percentile can span a 3-4x difference.

The key insight: compare yourself to yourself, not others. Your trend over time matters more than absolute numbers. If you're new to HRV, our Getting Started guide walks you through establishing your personal baseline over the first 2-4 weeks.

That said, understanding typical ranges helps you know if you're in the ballpark and whether a medical conversation might be worthwhile. The ranges below come from studies of hundreds of thousands of wearable users and clinical populations.

RMSSD Ranges by Age (The Most Common Metric)

RMSSD is the most commonly reported HRV metric on consumer wearables. These ranges are based on large-scale studies of hundreds of thousands of users:

Note: These are resting/morning measurements. Nighttime readings are typically 15-30% higher because your parasympathetic system is more active during sleep. If your device reports overnight HRV, expect values above these ranges. Use our HRV calculator for a personalized percentile.

How HRV Declines With Age

HRV declines naturally with age, at roughly 1-2% per year starting around age 30. This is completely normal and reflects gradual changes in autonomic nervous system function:

• Ages 20-30: HRV at its peak—this is when most people have their highest baseline
• Ages 30-40: Decline begins, roughly 1-2% per year on average
• Ages 40-60: Continued decline but the rate slows; lifestyle factors matter more
• 60+: Decline continues but flattens—see our dedicated HRV for Seniors guide

The decline is more pronounced in men than women until around age 50, when the gap between sexes narrows. For more on these patterns, see our HRV and aging guide.

This doesn't mean you can't improve. You can still raise your HRV relative to your current baseline at any age through exercise, sleep optimization, and stress management—you just shouldn't expect to have the same absolute numbers you had in your 20s.

Sex Differences in HRV

Men and women show different HRV patterns, which is important to consider when interpreting your numbers:

Men: - Generally higher absolute HRV in younger years (by roughly 5-15ms RMSSD) - Steeper age-related decline, especially between ages 30-50 - HRV-CV (day-to-day variability) increases after ~40, making trends harder to read

Women: - Lower HRV on average but narrower range of variation - Less steep decline with age, which means better preservation of autonomic function - Menstrual cycle creates monthly fluctuations of 10-20%, which is normal - U-shaped pattern in HRV variability across lifespan - Post-menopause, HRV patterns shift and may decline more steeply for a period

By age 50-60, the differences between sexes largely disappear. Both men and women benefit equally from interventions to improve HRV at any age.

Fitness Level Matters More Than Age

Within any age group, aerobic fitness is the single biggest modifiable predictor of HRV:

• Endurance athletes often have 2-3x higher HRV than sedentary peers of the same age
• Regular aerobic exercise (150+ minutes per week of Zone 2 cardio) can offset a significant portion of age-related decline
• Improvements of 15-30% are achievable with 8-12 weeks of consistent training
• Even starting a walking program of 30 minutes daily can raise HRV measurably within 4-6 weeks

A fit 50-year-old can have higher HRV than an unfit 30-year-old. This is why comparing to others is less useful than tracking your own progress. If your HRV is below the 25th percentile for your age and you are sedentary, exercise is likely the highest-impact intervention available to you.

Clinical Thresholds to Know

While "normal" varies widely, some absolute thresholds have clinical significance and are worth knowing about:

24-hour SDNN below 50ms: Associated with increased health risks according to American Heart Association guidelines. This is a long-term Holter monitor measurement, not a morning wearable reading—do not compare your morning RMSSD to this threshold directly.

RMSSD consistently below 10th percentile: Worth discussing with a doctor, especially if accompanied by symptoms like fatigue, poor recovery, or other concerns. For reference, that means below 25ms for someone in their 20s, or below 12ms for someone over 60. Conditions like sleep apnea or heart disease can drive persistently low values.

Sudden significant drops: A 30%+ drop from your baseline that persists for 3+ days may indicate illness, overtraining, or other acute stressors. A single low day is usually not concerning.

Device and Method Differences

Your numbers will vary depending on how you measure:

ECG vs PPG: PPG-based devices (wrist, ring) typically read 6-11% lower than ECG chest straps like the Polar H10. For passive overnight tracking, the Oura Ring is a popular choice.

Timing: Morning readings are typically lower than overnight averages.

Duration: Longer measurement windows (5+ minutes) capture more variability.

Position: Lying down shows higher HRV than sitting or standing.

Compare consistently within the same method—don't mix chest strap morning readings with ring overnight averages. See our Measuring HRV guide for best practices on measurement accuracy.

How to Find Your Percentile

Use our HRV Calculator to see where you stand for your age group. Enter your average RMSSD (from your wearable's 7-day average), your age, and sex for a personalized percentile ranking.

What percentile should you aim for?

• Below 25th: Room for significant improvement through lifestyle changes
• 25th-50th: Typical range, focus on consistency and removing HRV killers like alcohol
• 50th-75th: Healthy range for most people
• Above 75th: Excellent, focus on maintaining through consistent sleep and exercise
• Above 90th: Very high, often seen in trained endurance athletes

Research suggests aiming for at least the 50th percentile in your age-sex group as a reasonable baseline target. If you are below the 25th percentile and have been consistent with measurement, consider a medical evaluation to rule out underlying conditions.

Building Your Personal Baseline

Instead of obsessing over population norms, focus on building a reliable personal baseline. This is ultimately more useful than any age-based table:

1. Measure consistently for at least 2 weeks, ideally a full month using the same device and protocol
2. Calculate your 7-day rolling average — this smooths out daily noise and becomes your working baseline
3. Track deviations — readings 15%+ above or below baseline are meaningful signals
4. Watch long-term trends — is your 30-day average rising, stable, or falling?

Your baseline will naturally shift with seasons (many people see 5-10% higher HRV in summer), training phases, and life circumstances. That's normal. What matters is understanding your own patterns. Our getting started guide walks through this process step by step over your first 30 days.

When to Be Concerned

Low HRV alone isn't cause for alarm, but consider a medical evaluation if you have any of the following combinations:

• Persistently low HRV (below 10th percentile for your age) AND symptoms like fatigue or poor recovery
• HRV that doesn't respond to recovery efforts after 8-12 weeks of consistent interventions
• Rapid unexplained decline of 20%+ over several weeks without an obvious cause
• Family history of cardiovascular disease combined with low HRV
• Other risk factors (obesity, diabetes, hypertension) alongside low readings

HRV is one health metric among many. Use it as information to bring to your doctor, not as a self-diagnosis tool. A low reading on a consumer wearable is a reason to investigate, not a reason to panic.

Related Resources

• HRV Calculator — Find your percentile for your age
• What is HRV? — Understanding the basics
• How HRV is Calculated — Different metrics explained
• Improving HRV — Evidence-based interventions
• What Low HRV Means — Understanding low readings