According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVDs) is the number 1 cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 17.9 million cases occurring each year. CVDs is the term given to a group of dysfunctions of the heart and blood vessels, for example, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. The main risk factors for CVDs are unhealthy eating patterns, lack of physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
One way to reduce the risk of this disease is to exercise regularly. Exercise has long benefited muscle, bone, heart, and mental health. For adults, it is recommended to do physical activity for 150 minutes each day.
The following are five benefits of exercise for heart health to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease:
1. Reduces Blood Pressure
A healthy heart can pump more blood with each beat, allowing it to function more efficiently. A properly functioning heart can reduce the burden on the heart and its arteries. Exercise can reduce blood pressure for people with high blood pressure or prevent the disease from appearing as you get older in people with normal blood pressure.
2. Improves Blood Flow
Regular exercise can improve blood flow in the small blood vessels around the heart. These blood vessels are often a place for the accumulation of fatty plaques that can cause heart attacks. Exercise can trigger the body to create new connecting pathways between these blood vessels so that blood has many alternative ways.
3. Lowering Cholesterol Levels In The Blood
Many studies have shown that exercise can improve cholesterol levels in the body. Exercise can increase good cholesterol or HDL levels and reduce bad cholesterol or LDL levels by up to 10%.
4. Reducing the Chance of Arrhythmias
Arrhythmia is a term for disturbances that occur in the heart's rhythm. One example is atrial fibrillation. Irregular and fast heart rates characterize atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of stroke by up to five times. The American Heart Association reports that regular exercise can reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation by up to 50%.
5. Improve Workout Performance
When starting a regular exercise routine, the body needs time to adjust to the intensity and load given. The more often you exercise, the faster the body will draw the oxygen it needs from the blood during a sports session. Thanks to this, people who exercise regularly have a heart that works better under stress and has more stamina.
We must also pay attention to a healthy diet and sleep to get the most out of exercise. Avoid foods containing high cholesterol and multiply foods containing protein to repair damaged muscle tissue after a workout. Get the ideal sleep duration because sleep is the time the body uses to recover.
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Sources:
WHO. (2021). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). World Health Organization. [online]. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)
Casey. (2022). 7 ways your heart benefits from exercise. Healthy Driven. [online]. https://www.eehealth.org/blog/2022/06/exercise-for-your-heart/