You can strengthen your heart after heart failure by making recommended changes to your diet, exercising regularly, and adopting healthy habits. These lifestyle changes can help:
- Eating a heart-healthy diet
- Being physically active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Tracking your daily fluid intake
- Avoiding or limiting alcohol and caffeine
- Quitting smoking
- Getting adequate rest
- Monitoring blood pressure
- Managing stress
- Keeping track of symptoms
- Taking medications as prescribed
- Following up with your doctor
What is heart failure?
Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood well as it should. As a chronic and progressive condition, it worsens over time and can damage other organs due to lack of adequate blood supply.
When the heart's pumping ability gets weakened, it can cause the following problems:
3 exercises to strengthen your heart after heart failure
Regular exercise can help strengthen your heart after heart failure by improving circulation and promoting blood flow. Exercises that are recommended include the following:
- Cardio or aerobics: Cardio exercises engage large muscle groups and can improve the way your body uses oxygen. Examples include brisk walking, jogging, riding a bike (outdoor or stationary), jumping rope, cross-country skiing, rowing, and water aerobics. Benefits of cardio include lowering heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and improving breathing.
- Flexibility: Exercises like stretching, yoga, and tai chi involve slow movements that lengthen muscles and improve flexibility. Benefits of this exercise include improved balance, range of motion, and joint mobility.
- Strength training: Strength training with weights or resistance bands involve repetitive muscle movements that tone your muscles and build stronger bones. It is advised not to use weights heavier than 10 pounds.
Tips for exercising after heart failure
After heart failure, any exercise or workout should be done only after your doctor has given you the go ahead. In most cases, doctors recommend waiting for at least 6 weeks before starting an exercise program.
It’s important to take it slowly and make sure you are listening to your body. All exercises should include three phases:
- Warm-up: This should be done for about 5 minutes before starting to prepare your body for your workout. Warming up can reduce stress on your heart muscles and prevent sore muscles. Warm-up exercises include stretching, range-of-motion exercises, and low-intensity movements.
- Conditioning: This phase should include the actual exercise that should be continued for about 20-30 minutes. Conditioning exercises should be done until the recommended heart rate is achieved.
- Cool down: This phase should last about 5 minutes to help your body recover from the conditioning phase and allow your heart rate and blood pressure to return to normal. Decrease the intensity of exercise and repeat some of the stretching exercises during the warm-up phase. Avoid sitting before cooling down. This can make you feel dizzy or have heart palpitations.
SLIDESHOW
Heart Disease: Symptoms, Signs, and Causes See SlideshowReferences
Image Source: iStock Images
"Activity and exercise for patients with heart failure." University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. July 2, 2016. <https://uihc.org/health-topics/activity-and-exercise-patients-heart-failure>.
Piñna, Ileana L., et al. "Exercise and Heart Failure." Circulation 107.8 Mar. 4, 2003. <https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.cir.0000055013.92097.40>.
"Activity and exercise for patients with heart failure." University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. July 2, 2016. <https://uihc.org/health-topics/activity-and-exercise-patients-heart-failure>.
Piñna, Ileana L., et al. "Exercise and Heart Failure." Circulation 107.8 Mar. 4, 2003. <https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.cir.0000055013.92097.40>.
Top How to Strengthen Your Heart After Heart Failure Related Articles
Heart Healthy Diet: 25 Foods You Should EatWhat foods are heart healthy? Learn what foods help protect your cardiovascular system from heart attack, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Plus, find easy meal recipes and...
adenosineAdenosine is an antidysrhythmic drug used to treat a type of irregular heart rhythm disorder known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Common side effects of adenosine include...- Beta BlockersBeta blockers are used for the treatment of irregular heart rhythms, chest pain, heart attack, hypertension, migraine headaches, social phobias, tremors, and glaucoma. Common side effects of beta...
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)Congestive heart failure (CHF) refers to a condition in which the heart loses the ability to function properly. Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathies are...- dopamineDopamine is a medication administered intravenously to correct imbalances in the blood circulation dynamics (hemodynamics) caused by heart attack (myocardial infarction), cardiac arrest, open-heart...
Heart-Wise DiningExplore 10 food swaps for heart-wise dining. Learn what food to buy and how to cook in order to make a big difference for your heart health.- furosemideFurosemide is a diuretic medicine that doctors prescribe to treat excess accumulation of fluid or swelling of the body (edema) caused by cirrhosis, chronic kidney failure, heart failure, and kidney...
- hawthornHawthorn is used in traditional medicine to treat congestive heart failure, irregular heart rhythms, circulatory disorders, high cholesterol, anxiety, and indigestion. Common side effects of hawthorn...
Heart Disease: Best and Worst Foods for Heart FailureLearn which dietary changes help your heart, and which ones make it work harder.
Heart Failure QuizWhat is heart failure? Learn about this dangerous condition, as well as who is at risk, and what to do about it.
Heart Palpitations: 14 Possible Causes and Should You Worry?Heart palpitations are caused by stress, exercise, caffeine, nicotine, hormone changes, fever, medications, low blood sugar, overactive thyroid, heart rhythm problems, alcohol, PVCs, and illegal...
How Is Right Heart Catheterization Done?Catheterization is the process where doctors use a thin, flexible tube called a catheter to look at the heart. Right heart catheterization is performed by going into a vein.
How Long Can You Live With Heart Failure?What is the life expectancy of people with heart failure? Learn about survival rates, determining factors, and lifestyle changes that may help increase your life expectancy.- hydrochlorothiazideHydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic drug prescribed to treat high blood pressure, edema caused by heart failure, cirrhosis, chronic kidney failure, nephrotic syndrome, and corticosteroid medications....
- lily of the valleyLily of the valley is a perennial plant known as Convallaria majalis. Lily of the valley extracts have been traditionally used as an herbal remedy for certain cardiac conditions and many other...
- nebivololNebivolol is a medication used to lower blood pressure in adults with high blood pressure (hypertension), and in addition, heart failure in adults older than 70 years to reduce the risk for heart...
- nitroglycerin, Nitro-Bid, Nitro-Dur, Nitrostat, Transderm-Nitro, Minitran, Deponit, NitrolNitroglycerin is a nitrate used for the treatment of angina (heart pain) caused by coronary artery disease. Nitroglycerin also is used intravenously to treat congestive heart failure associated with...
- Aldactone (spironolactone)Spironolactone is classified as a potassium-sparing diuretic. It is prescribed for the treatment of congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney disease. It can also be used in...
- Thiazides (Diuretics)Thiazide diuretics are drugs prescribed to treat high blood pressure and reduce edema (fluid accumulation) in the body. Side effects of thiazide diuretics include dizziness and...
- triamtereneTriamterene is a medication used in the management and treatment of fluid retention and swelling (edema) associated with various conditions including heart failure, liver or kidney disease, and edema...