The number of time your heart beats in a minute is known as your heart rate, or your pulse. When you are exercising, your heart beats faster (your pulse increases). When you are at rest, your pulse is slower. Heart rate monitors are instruments used to measure heart rate and actions while a person is at rest, doing normal everyday activities, or doing exercises and strenuous activities. They are used by both healthy individuals and people with signs and symptoms of cardiac problems. In order to monitor your heart rate, you can use your own pulse and some simple math, or use a heart rate monitor. Method 1 - Monitoring At Home 1 → Manually check your heart rate (pulse). Place the tips of your first two fingers on your wrist, just below your thumb (palm up). → If you are feeling your pulse using your right hand, place your fingers below your thumb (palm up), on the side of your wrist near your thumb. → Press softly and you should begin to feel a pulsing sensation. ...