Like any other muscle in your body, an active lifestyle results in a more robust and healthier heart. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends maintaining an active lifestyle and giving up harmful behaviors like smoking to lower your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. A few benefits of regular exercise include strengthening the heart muscle, maintaining a healthy weight, and preventing atrial fibrillation due to excessive cholesterol, high blood sugar, and hypertension. Therefore, if you’re concerned about your heart health or have a family history of cardiovascular disease, you should start exercising regularly:

1. Swimming
Swimming is an excellent full-body workout that boosts your cardiovascular output, muscular strength, and overall fitness and health. Furthermore, diving is gentle on the body’s joints and allows for a more excellent range of motion without causing significant discomfort. However, if you are getting into diving, you should begin with 5-10 minutes of lap diving every session and gradually increase the duration.

2. Brisk walking or running
The American Heart Association recommends a moderate-to-brisk walking pace to keep your heart healthy. Brisk walking is an excellent choice to increase cardiac output without overworking your lungs or wearing yourself out. Fast walking raises heart rate and is gentler on the joints than other forms of exercise. You only need a sturdy pair of footwear, and you can walk anywhere and anytime. For instance, you can stroll about during your lunch hour or go for long walks on the weekend.

3. Cycling
Getting on your bike and riding it can do more than transport you from one location to another. Biking or cycling is an excellent low-impact exercise that helps maintain heart health. Several studies have shown that middle-aged women and men who ride bicycles regularly have a lower chance of developing cardiac problems. Another research found that regular biking reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 11-18% among its participants. Biking relies heavily on your leg muscles which boost your heart rate. Therefore, instead of driving, you should try biking around town. Doing so will improve your blood flow and strengthen your lower body.

4. Playing tennis
Try channeling your inner Serena Williams to help your heart. Research has shown that racket sports, such as tennis, are one of the most significant types of exercise for heart health, minimizing the risk of premature mortality from a cardiovascular event. Playing tennis is good for your heart since it gets your blood flowing, your body moving, and your heart rate up. Working out your heart makes it stronger.

5. Jumping rope
Like jogging, jumping rope will boost your heart and breathing rate. You can improve your cardiovascular health by doing only 10 minutes of jump rope daily. It will lead to changes in your body, such as reduced blood pressure and a lower resting heart rate. Cardiorespiratory fitness, or the ability of the heart and lungs to pump oxygen throughout the body, may also be improved by rope jumping.

Choose an exercise plan that considers your heart health and daily activity. Taking care of your heart requires regular exercise, whether a weekly yoga session, a daily stroll with a buddy, or an early morning swim. However, consult your doctor if you’re worried about your heart health or having trouble getting started with an exercise routine.