What exercise is the healthiest for your heart? Study finds that it ranks first →

Standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, running, sleeping... these are probably all the actions that many people take in a day. What impact will these actions have on heart health?

Some research has actually explored this and found that if you want a healthy heart, any exercise will do, even sleeping, is better than sitting for a long time.

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Moderate intensity exercise,

Best for your heart!

A study published in the European Heart Journal in November 2023 evaluated the relationship between different exercise patterns and heart health in 24 hours a day. The results showed that moderate-intensity exercise is the healthiest for the heart.

The specific order is:

1. Moderate-intensity exercise (running, brisk walking, climbing stairs)

2. Mild exercise

3. Stand

4. Sleep

And prolonged sitting can have adverse effects on heart health.

Summary of research content

Researchers point out that replacing long periods of sitting with 5 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day can have a significant impact on heart health.

What kind of exercise is

Moderate intensity exercise?

What is considered moderate intensity exercise? According to the National Fitness Guide issued by the State Sports General Administration, the maximum heart rate percentage and the actual heart rate measured during exercise are commonly used to monitor the intensity of sports.

Maximum heart rate (beats/min) = 220 - age (years)

During physical fitness activities:

Heart rate is 85% or above of maximum heart rate, which is equivalent to high-intensity exercise;

Heart rate is controlled within 60% to 85% of the maximum heart rate range, which is equivalent to moderate intensity exercise;

The heart rate is controlled within the range of 50% to 60% of the maximum heart rate, which is equivalent to low-intensity exercise.

In general:

▼ Low-intensity exercise: The heart rate generally does not exceed 100 beats/minute during exercise, such as walking.

▼ Moderate-intensity exercise: The heart rate during exercise is generally between 100 and 140 beats per minute, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, Tai Chi, tennis doubles, etc.

▼ High-intensity exercise: exercise heart rate exceeds 140 beats/minute, such as running, fast cycling, fast-paced aerobics, fast climbing, climbing stairs, singles tennis, etc.

Intensity classification of physical fitness activities and its monitoring indicators

In addition, you can also use the "simplest judgment method":

If you are slightly out of breath and can talk normally but cannot sing during exercise, it means that the intensity of exercise is moderate;

If you have to stop and catch your breath after saying a few words while exercising, it means that the intensity of your exercise is too high.

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In addition to sports

These 9 habits are good for your heart, too!

The heart keeps beating every day, which is very hard. How can we maintain heart health? In addition to exercise, there are 9 habits in life that are also good for the heart.

1

Eat until you are 80% full

Too much food, especially high-protein and high-fat food, is difficult to digest, causing abdominal distension and discomfort, and raising the diaphragm, which will limit the normal contraction and relaxation of the heart and increase the burden on the heart. It is recommended that patients with coronary heart disease do not eat too much.

2

Oriental Meal

A long-term high-oil, high-salt, and high-sugar diet is a "killer" of cardiovascular health. It is recommended to eat according to the "Oriental dietary pattern".

(1) Increase the intake of coarse grains and reduce the intake of refined rice and flour;

(2) Vegetable oil and low-temperature cooking are recommended;

(3) Increase white meat, reduce red meat, and recommend soy products;

(4) The more vegetables the better, and ensure an appropriate amount of fruit;

(5) Recommend moderate amounts of nuts and milk;

(6) Steaming, boiling and shabu-shabu cooking methods are strongly recommended.

3

Sleep well

A 2021 study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that healthy adults who were chronically sleep deprived had abnormal heart rate patterns. If you want a healthy heart, you must get enough sleep.

4

Stay away from tobacco and alcohol

An article published in the European Heart Journal in 2024 stated that there is growing evidence that alcohol is not good for cardiovascular health. It can also increase the risk of hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and stroke, and also cause cognitive impairment.

In addition, be sure to quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke. All forms of tobacco, including secondhand smoke, can cause inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, prothrombotic state, and activation of the sympathetic nervous system, seriously damaging cardiovascular health.

5

Regular bowel movements

Have regular bowel movements in the morning or after meals, and try to avoid constipation. When straining to defecate, intra-abdominal pressure increases, blood pressure rises rapidly, and can even double compared to usual, which will increase the burden on the heart and even induce myocardial infarction.

6

Be happy

If a person is in an excited and nervous state for a long time, the excitement of the body's sympathetic nerves will increase, stimulating the heart rate to increase, peripheral blood vessels to constrict, leading to high blood pressure, and subsequently damaging blood vessels and the heart.

7

Keep your waistline in check

A thick waist means too much abdominal fat, and obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is recommended that the waist circumference of men should be less than 85 cm and that of women should be less than 80 cm.

8

Pay attention to physical examination

In the 40s and 50s, the heart and blood vessels will age significantly. It is recommended that after the age of 40, regular physical examinations should be conducted. For example, blood tests should be conducted to understand blood lipids and blood sugar, electrocardiograms should be performed to check the heart, and if symptoms are found, a dual-source CT (non-invasive examination) or coronary angiography (invasive examination) should be performed if necessary according to the doctor's judgment.

9

Close to nature

Air pollution is associated with increased cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer mortality. Spending more time in nature and exercising in pollution-free environments, especially in parks and wooded areas, can protect your heart and improve your mental health.

References

[1]Device-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health: the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium. European Heart Journal, Volume 45, Issue 6, 7 February 2024, Pages 458–471, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad717

[2] 2023-11-10 Yi Novi "If you want a healthy heart, any exercise will do, even sleeping is better than sitting for a long time"

[3] China Sports General Administration. “National Fitness Guide” https://www.sport.gov.cn/n315/n20067006/c20324479/content.html

[4] 2019-08-20 "Eating until you are 80% full will improve your heart health"

[5] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents 2022

[6]Jeremy A. Bigalke et al, Blunted heart rate recovery to spontaneous nocturnal arousals in short-sleeping adults, American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology (2021). DOI:10.1152/ajpheart.00329.2021

[7]Cagigas, Maria L., Stephen M. Twigg, and Luigi Fontana. "Ten tips for promoting cardiometabolic health and slowing cardiovascular aging." (2024): ehad853.

[8] 2024-01-14 China Circulation Magazine "10 Life Tips to Improve Cardiometabolism! European Heart Journal Article"

[9] 2018-03-09 Health Times: "The Ten Darkest Moments of High Incidence of Myocardial Infarction"

[10] 2020-09-29 Shenzhen Third People's Hospital "Not a joke! A 45-year-old father in Shenzhen got so angry with his child while helping him with homework that he had a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital for emergency treatment!"

[11] 2019-08-02 Health Times: "The heart loses to loneliness"

[12] 2018-11-09 Health Times: "A waist thickness of 9 cm means a 30% chance of heart disease"

[13]2013-10-24 Health Times: "Massaging Neiguan for one minute can strengthen the heart"

[14] 2019-08-23 Health Times: "Heart check-ups should start at age 40"

Planning and production

Source: Health Times

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director and Researcher of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association

Editor: Wang Mengru

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin