Best Exercises for Heart Health: Your Path to a Stronger Heart

A strong and healthy heart is a fundamental aspect of your well-being, and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through exercise.

In fact, a review from the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) has shown that exercise reduces the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. [1]

Let's see how you can improve heart health quickly with a solid training regimen and better lifestyle habits.

Benefits of exercise for heart health

Regular exercise helps manage risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It can improve how efficiently your heart pumps blood, reducing its workload and improving cardiovascular health.

Additionally, physical activity helps you manage weight, reduces inflammation, and increases arterial flexibility—all essential for maintaining a healthy heart.

» Learn about the benefits of exercise for preventing accelerated aging

Aerobic vs. strength training

Aerobic exercises elevate the heart rate and oxygen intake, fortifying the heart muscle through repetitive muscle contractions and enabling the heart to beat more efficiently.

Some examples of aerobic exercises are:

• Brisk walking
• Jogging
• Cycling

On the other hand, On the other hand, strength training—while beneficial for building muscle strength—is primarily anaerobic. It might not offer identical cardiovascular benefits as aerobic exercises.

Similarly, a study from the University of Illinois supported the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines created by the US Department of Health and Human Services. [3] It found that a combination of aerobic and strength training decreased cardiovascular disease risk even further. [4]



Exercise recommendations: A heart-healthy regimen

When looking for the best exercise to support heart health, consider including a mix of:

• Aerobic activities: Go walking and cycling to enhance cardiovascular endurance. [5]
• Interval training: Incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to increase heart rate variability and fitness. [5]
• Strength training: Do resistance exercises like bench presses and squats to boost muscle strength and improve blood pressure control. [6]
• Yoga: You can mitigate stress and improve your heart rate variability by doing yoga exercises. [7]

To improve heart health, follow guidelines such as participating in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. [8]

Complementary habits for a robust heart

To keep your heart healthy and achieve optimal results, consider the following lifestyle changes:

• Adopt a balanced diet: Limit saturated and trans fats, sugary drinks, and sweets. At the same time, ensure your diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains because they are linked to lower chances of cardiovascular disease. [9]
• Manage stress: Over time, chronic stress can damage the heart muscle and increase the risk of heart disease. Engage in activities that help alleviate stress, such as meditation, reading, or spending time in nature. [10]
• Prioritize quality sleep: When you don't get enough sleep, your body releases hormones that can increase blood pressure and heart rate. Sleep for 7-9 hours each night to provide adequate rest and recovery for your heart. [11]
• Abstain from smoking and limit alcohol: Smoking damages the blood vessels and increases the risk of blood clots, while drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels. [12, 13]
• Regular health check-ups: Early detection and treatment of hypertension and diabetes can help to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications. [14]
• Stay hydrated: Dehydration can thicken the blood and make it difficult for your heart to pump. [15] Drink enough water throughout the day, especially when exercising.

Cultivating a heart-healthy future

If you want to maintain a strong heart, choosing the right exercises is essential. However, a balanced diet, good mental health, and healthy habits are also crucial.

You need to be consistent with your lifestyle changes to improve your well-being, and that's where InsideTracker can help. You can order blood tests to get a comprehensive picture of your biomarkers, including hormones, nutrients, fitness, and stress. This will help you identify areas to improve your overall health and well-being.

InsideTracker doesn't provide a medical diagnosis. If you have any medical concerns, please visit a qualified medical professional.

References:

[1] A. Rijal et al., “Effects of adding exercise to usual care in patients with either hypertension, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis,” British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 57, no. 14, pp. 930–939, Nov. 2022, doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106002. Available: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/14/930

[2] P. López‐Jaramillo, J. López‐López, M. C. Tole, and D. D. Cohen, “Muscular strength in Risk Factors for cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Narrative review,” The Anatolian Journal of Cardiology, vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 598–607, Jul. 2022, doi: 10.5152/anatoljcardiol.2022.1586. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35924286/

[3] “Physical activity guidelines for Americans | Health.gov.” Available: https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/physical-activity-guidelines

[4] E. Schroeder, W. D. Franke, R. L. Sharp, and D.-C. Lee, “Comparative effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized controlled trial,” PloS One, vol. 14, no. 1, p. e0210292, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210292. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30615666/

[5] T. A. Astorino, R. P. Allen, D. W. Roberson, and M. Jurancich, “Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiovascular Function, V̇o2max, and Muscular Force,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 138–145, Jan. 2012, doi: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e318218dd77. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22201691/

[6] T. A. Astorino, R. P. Allen, D. W. Roberson, and M. Jurancich, “Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiovascular Function, V̇o2max, and Muscular Force,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 138–145, Jan. 2012, doi: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e318218dd77. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22201691/

[7] C. Woodyard, “Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life,” International Journal of Yoga/International Journal of Yoga, vol. 4, no. 2, p. 49, Jan. 2011, doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.85485. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22022122/

[8] “American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids,” www.heart.org, Jan. 19, 2024. Available: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults

[9] J. L. Slavin and B. Lloyd, “Health benefits of fruits and vegetables,” Advances in Nutrition, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 506–516, Jul. 2012, doi: 10.3945/an.112.002154. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22797986/

[10] “Stress and hypertension,” PubMed, Dec. 01, 1998. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9894438

[11] “How does sleep affect your heart health? | cdc.gov,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sep. 06, 2023. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm

[12] “Smoking and heart disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Feb. 03, 2024. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/heart-disease-stroke.html

[13] “Alcohol’s effects on the cardiovascular system,” PubMed, 2017. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28988575/

[14] W. H. Herman et al., “Early detection and treatment of Type 2 diabetes reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: A simulation of the results of the Anglo-Danish-Dutch Study of Intensive Treatment in People with Screen-Detected Diabetes in Primary Care (ADDITION-Europe),” Diabetes Care, vol. 38, no. 8, pp. 1449–1455, May 2015, doi: 10.2337/dc14-2459. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25986661/

[15] Hannah, “The importance of water,” The Heart Foundation, Nov. 15, 2023. Available: https://theheartfoundation.org/2019/03/08/the-importance-of-water/