What is a normal pulse rate?

Your pulse rate describes how many times your heart beats per minute. That is, how much it's pumping (circulating) blood throughout your body. That's the simple answer. Normally, a resting pulse will be between 60-100 beats per minute, but this will vary widely based on your age, fitness level, diet, time of day, etc. An athlete may have a resting pulse of 45, for instance, and this could be considered normal, whereas someone who is out of shape would probably notice a faster pulse. If you are healthy, your pulse will increase while exercising because your body requires more oxygen and nutrients during this time, and on the other end of the spectrum, it will be lower while you are at rest.

Hope this answers your question on a basic level!

If you have CHF then you should be followed by a cardiologist. A resting heart rate over 100 is considered tachycardia (i.e., faster than normal) and should get checked out.