Boosting heart health is one of the best things to invest in, and one way to do it is through regular exercise. For a fact, people who live a sedentary lifestyle are twice as likely to develop heart conditions than those who live an active lifestyle.
If you have a history of heart problems or want to improve your heart health, you need to try these exercises.
Why Exercise?
The heart is a vital part of your health as it is one of the hardest working muscles in the body.
It is the muscle at the centre of the circulation system, responsible for pumping action, that delivers oxygen and nutrients to the vital organs of the body. The heart beats around 100,000 times and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood daily.
Given how important the heart is in maintaining your overall health, it is important to keep it in its best condition, free of any diseases. However, heart disease is one of the leading causes for adults in Australia.
Regular physical exercise helps boost heart health and lessen the risk of heart-related diseases. In fact, research proves that even moderate activities may reverse the damage from mild heart conditions.
Regular exercise can also help in many other ways, including lowering blood pressure levels and increasing good cholesterol in the body. It also helps maintain a healthy weight and improves overall blood flow and circulation.
Incorporating different kinds of exercises is best for improving health and fitness. Here, we discuss some of the best types of exercises that promote positive heart health.
5 Exercises that Promote Good Heart Health
Here are five exercises for a healthy heart.
Aerobic Exercise Or “Cardio”
Running, jogging, and biking are the best examples of cardio. This exercise involves fast movements which raise the heart health and cause you to breathe faster.
For people with joint problems, you can still do cardio with low-impact activities such as swimming and walking.
Strength Training
Strength training exercises get your heart pumping, like lifting weights and pushups. This type of exercise help increases lean muscle mass, causing you to burn more calories at rest, resulting in a healthy weight.
Strength training is also good for heart health. In fact, a study shows that muscle strengthening exercises reduce the risk of heart diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
Stretching
Gentle stretches may not directly influence heart health, but they can contribute to your workout. Physical activities like yoga, Taiichi, and Pilates will improve your flexibility and balance. These exercises can also help improve joint aches, cramps, and muscle pain while working out.
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to improve cardiovascular health.
In fact, a study suggests that regular cycling as a form of exercise can lessen cardiovascular diseases and death.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT involves short bursts of high-intensity exercises and long periods of lower-intensity activities.
Research suggests that this form of exercise help increase fitness levels more than mild to moderate-intensity training. Consider adding HIIT to your exercise routine once or twice a week.
How Much Exercise Do I Need To Improve Heart Health?
According to healthgov.au, adults should get a total of 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate activity every week. That is equivalent to 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous exercise weekly.
Conclusion
All exercises, including those mentioned above, can help maintain normal weight and promote good heart health. However, it does not mean that your favourite workout is not on the list; that does not mean you should not do it.
What’s important is to pick a variety of physical exercises that will get your heart pumping.
For more heart-healthy tips, enrol in a first aid course or check the First Aid Courses Darwin for more information.
