Introduction:
The human heart is a muscle that gets stronger and healthier by leading an active life. People who do not exercise are more likely to get heart disease than active people. Regular exercise is good for cardiovascular health. It is one of the most effective and efficient ways to burn calories, lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol and boost good cholesterol.
Why Is Exercise Necessary for a Healthy Heart?
Regular exercise can strengthen the heart and improves cardiorespiratory fitness. Here are the heart-healthy reasons why regular exercise should be a part of a daily routine:
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Lower Blood Pressure: A healthy heart pumps more blood throughout the body. This helps decrease stress on the heart and surrounding arteries, reducing blood pressure. For people with high blood pressure, cardiovascular exercise may benefit.
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Improved Blood Flow: Regular cardiovascular exercise allows the heart to achieve improved blood circulation in the small vessels around it. Improved blood flow in these areas may prevent heart attacks.
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Lower Cholesterol: It is scientifically proven that exercise increases the amount of healthy HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and lowers bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol by as much as 10 %.
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Decreased Risk of Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes: Research suggests that regular exercise helps reduce the possibility of coronary heart disease by about 21 % for men and 29 % for women. In addition, active people have a 20 % less chance of stroke. Regular exercise also helps maintain blood sugar levels and lower the risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
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Promote Other Heart-Healthy Habits: The American Heart Association states that regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight, make good nutrition choices, reduce stress, and improve mood.
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Reduce the Incidence of Heart Arrhythmia: The American Heart Association has reported study results that indicate that in people who exercised regularly with a short-term, high-intensity interval training regimen, the incidence of atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia) was almost half.
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Improve Workout Efficiency: As a person begins a new workout routine that includes cardio exercise, it may take time for the body to adjust to a faster pace. But with time, the more routine the exercise becomes, the quicker the body pulls oxygen from the blood during workouts. That is why people who work out regularly have hearts that function better under stress and are less winded during a workout. Regular cardio exercise also allows the body to recover more quickly after exercise.
What Are the Different Types of Exercise to Improve Healthy Heart?
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Aerobic Exercise: Aerobic or cardio exercise is the most effective way to improve heart health. Aerobic exercise helps improves blood circulation and lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Ideally, one should do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercises at least five days a week. Examples of aerobic exercise include brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, tennis, and jumping rope. In addition, people with joint problems can choose a low-impact activity, like swimming or walking.
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Resistance Training (Strength Work): This exercise has a more specific effect on body composition. Resistance training effectively reduces fat and creates leaner muscle mass for people with a lot of body fat. In addition, research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training may help increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least two-three times a week of resistance training. Resistance training involves exercising with free weights like hand weights, dumbbells, or barbells, resistance bands, and through body-resistance exercises, like squats, push-ups, and chin-ups.
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Stretching, Flexibility, and Balance: Flexibility workouts, like stretching, do not directly contribute to heart health. But they benefit musculoskeletal health, enabling flexibility and freedom from joint pain, cramping, and other muscular issues. This flexibility is a critical part of maintaining aerobic exercise and resistance training. This form should be done every day and before and after other exercises. Stretching should also be done after warming up or after finishing exercising. Ensure that stretching should be done gently and it should not hurt.
Before beginning any new exercise plan, talk to a health care professional about the best way to include cardiovascular activity into the lifestyle. The professional help establish a customized plan that safely and gradually increases one's capacity for cardiovascular exercise. The health care professional also ensures whether or not a person is ready for a particular activity.
What Precautions Should Be Taken While Exercising?
Stop and get immediate medical assistance if:
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There is pain or pressure in the chest or the upper part of the body.
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Trouble breathing.
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Have a very fast or uneven heart rate.
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Dizziness or lightheadedness
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Tiredness.
It is normal for the muscles to be mildly sore for one or two days after the workout for beginners. However, it gets better with time as the body gets used to it.
Can a Person Exercise After a Heart Attack?
It is important to get moving as soon as possible for people who suffered a heart attack. Although exercising can help boost energy and is essential for heart healing, one should take it slow at first. Consult a doctor to maintain a safe and effective long-term exercise plan. Make exercise a priority, adopt other healthy lifestyle choices like heart-healthy eating habits, maintain a healthy weight, minimize alcohol consumption and consistently take medications.
Conclusion:
Exercise is an easy and free mode to improve heart health. It is essential to perform different types of exercises to achieve complete fitness. Aerobic or cardio exercise is the most important for heart health. Doing something simple can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or slow the progression of existing heart diseases.
