How do you check a pulse?

When you feel your own pulse, you’re actually feeling the direct transmission of your heartbeat down your artery. You can only feel a pulse where you can compress an artery against a bone.

Your pulse can be felt by your wrist and by your neck.

Taking your pulse is easy, especially if you do it at your wrist.

- Simply lay your index and third fingers on the inside of your wrist.
- Below the base of your thumb, between the bone and the tendon.
- This spot is over the radial artery.
- Count beats for 15 seconds.
- Multiply the count by four to calculate the number of beats per minute.

To take your pulse at your neck

- Lay your index and third fingers on the neck in the hollow beside your Adam's apple or windpipe.
- Count beats for 15 seconds.
- Multiply the count by four to calculate the number of beats per minute.