Their study, published in the journal JACC: Advances, shows that regular physical activity makes the heart more efficient, leading to a lower resting heart rate. In the study, athletes had an average heart rate of 68 beats per minute (bpm), while non-athletes averaged 76 bpm. You might think that exercise, which raises your heart rate, would mean more total beats per day. A lower resting heart rate is a clear sign of a healthy heart and strong cardiovascular fitness. “Even if you’re exercising for an hour a day, your heart beats more slowly for the other 23 hours.