Exercise is an important aspect of maintaining overall health and well-being, including cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association includes exercise as one of the “Life’s Essential 8” – the eight most important, healthy lifestyle strategies for keeping your heart in optimal condition. In addition to exercise, Life’s Essential 8 also includes eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, managing blood sugar levels, and quitting tobacco use. By adopting these healthy habits, you can take steps towards improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of heart-related problems.
Here are four types of exercise that are particularly effective for improving cardiovascular health:
Brisk Walking
Yoga
Yoga can be a great way to improve your heart health. It has been shown to lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and heart rate, and can also reduce stress hormones and improve sleep. In fact, a study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that among individuals with high blood pressure, 15 minutes of yoga was more effective in lowering blood pressure and heart rate than stretching. If you are interested in trying yoga but are not sure if you are ready to invest in an in-person class or private session, there are many online resources and tutorials available that can help you get started. You can also consider purchasing a yoga DVD or streaming a yoga class online. It’s important to choose a class or instructor that is suitable for your fitness level and any injuries or health conditions you may have.
High-Intensity Exercise
Interval training is a type of high-intensity exercise that involves alternating between periods of intense exercise and recovery. It has many benefits for heart health, including increasing the production of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which lowers cholesterol and improves insulin sensitivity. Interval training can also help muscles grow and the heart becomes stronger. However, it’s important to exercise at a level that is appropriate for your fitness level. To gauge the intensity of your workout, you can use the rating of the perceived exertion scale, which goes from zero to 10. During the intense periods of interval training, you should aim for a rating of 7-10, and during recovery periods, aim for a rating of 3-4. Keep in mind that everyone’s perceived exertion will be different, so it’s important to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard.
Strength Training
Strength training, also known as resistance training, is an important part of a healthy exercise routine. It involves using weights or other forms of resistance to build and maintain muscle mass. In addition to helping build and maintain muscle mass, strength training has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. According to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, individuals who did less than one hour of strength training per week reduced their risk for a heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70 percent. A systemic review and meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that doing 30 to 60 minutes of strength training per week was associated with a 10 to 17 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease. This risk was even lower, at 40 percent, when strength training was combined with aerobic activity. The American Heart Association recommends doing the muscle-strengthening activity at least two days every week.