Do you find yourself more sedentary than active? Are you doing at least 150 minutes (or 2.5 hours) of much-needed heart-pumping physical activity every week? If your answer is no, you’re not the only one. Only about one in five adults and teens get enough weekly exercise to maintain good heart health. Being more physically active helps you think, feel and sleep better AND perform all of your daily tasks with more ease.
Here are some easy-ish activities that you can incorporate into your daily routine to have a happier, healthier heart.
Brisk walking
Difficulty level: 1 out of 5
Walking at a pace of roughly 3 to 4 miles per hour is brisk enough to hit the “moderate-intensity” cardiovascular zone for the average adult or teen. Additionally, walking is very accessible and relatively low impact. This means it is easy on your joints, and the likelihood of any injuries is pretty low compared with other cardio activities such as jogging or other high-intensity exercises. Bonus tip? Bring your dog or children with you!
Chores
Difficulty level: 2 out of 5
Believe it or not, household chores count as physical activity! If you have ever spent 15 minutes scrubbing your bathroom, you are sure to have broken a sweat. Here are some other common household chores that you can do:
-mowing your lawn,
-washing your car,
-gardening and lawn care,
-shoveling snow off your driveway or sidewalk,
-scrubbing the bathtub and floor,
-mopping the floor.
These activities all count if executed at a high intensity! Knocking out your weekend cleaning for a few hours plus a healthy heart? We think that this is a win!
Having fun!
Difficulty level: 2 out of 5
Whether you do it alone or grab a loved one, some fun leisure activities can be great for heart health. Dancing to your favorite songs or playlist, a quick game of basketball or soccer, playing catch with your dog, or tag with your children can all count (in addition to being fun and easy ways to blow off steam and is great for your mental health!). Be creative, work activities into your routine that are fun for you, and and then you’ll be more motivated to do it regularly. Bonus tip: incorporate a friend or loved one as a regular scheduled activity!
Get enough sleep
Difficulty level: 3 out of 5
Have you been feeling tired and with no energy? Did you know that a lack of sleep can increase your risks for heart problems? Try to make sure you get enough sleep, even if that means just getting a quick nap in during the day. However, the most important thing you can do is actually get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble falling asleep, try unwinding at least 30 minutes before your bedtime. It can also be helpful to make your bedroom your sleep haven ― keep all your work-related items and any other stress triggers out of the bedroom as much as possible. While it can very difficult to “shut down” and get ready for bed, a well rested you helps with your heart!
Quit smoking
Difficulty level: 5 out of 5
Smoking is by no means an easy habit to quit but it’s so important and vital to try ― especially since smoking vastly increases the risks of heart disease and stroke. Did you know that stopping smoking improves a person’s health immensely? This is not only in terms of risk of heart health and disease but also increases risks of cancer and lung disease.
Read more about American Heart Month from the CDC.
Talk to a pharmacist today if you have any questions about your heart health.
