Activity and exercise

If you have heart problems, your doctor or another health care professional will talk with you about what the correct level of activity and exercise is for you.

Activities are things you do each day, such as brushing your teeth, making a meal, crafts, hobbies and housework.
Exercises are physical exertion activities designed for building muscle strength, such as walking, swimming or lifting weights. When exercise is done on a regular basis, it helps increase your tolerance for activity and more exercise. It also improves your overall health and reduces your risk for heart disease.

Activities

If you've had a hospital stay, see your regular doctor within 7 to 10 days of your discharge for instructions and activity guidelines. If you were seen by a cardiac rehabilitation specialist, follow the exercise plan prescribed for you.

In general, avoid these strenuous activities unless your doctor says they are OK: snow shoveling, snow blowing, garden tilling, snowmobiling, bailing hay, changing a tire, pushing a stalled car, chopping wood, skiing, tennis, racquetball, running and weightlifting.

Be careful when working in a stooped or bent position for long periods of time. Driving, travel and returning to work are specific activities that you should talk about to your doctor or nurse practitioner.

Sexual activity

You may be concerned about resuming sexual activity. Most cardiac patients can enjoy sexual activity with some minor changes. Your doctor will tell you when you can resume activity safely.

Tips for resuming sexual activity

Driving

Ask your health care team if driving is safe. If it is not, ask when it may be again. If you have just had heart surgery or a heart attack, you may be asked to avoid driving in stressful heavy traffic and to avoid long driving trips.

Travel

Consult your health care team before planning or taking any trip. Remember:

It is safe to fly on commercial airlines.
A vacation to an area that has higher altitudes can increase the work of your heart and cause fatigue.
If you have heart failure, there may be specific altitude and air travel restrictions. Check with your doctor.
Carry enough medicines to last your entire trip and pack an extra couple of days in case you have delays.
— Keep your medicine schedule with you.
— Make sure your medicines are not outdated.
— Carry copies of your prescriptions with you, too.
Carry your medicines in carry-on luggage — don't store them in baggage you plan to check.
Carry a copy of your medical history with you. (Ask your health care team for a copy.)
Check with your medical insurance carrier about out-of-state and foreign coverage.
If needed, call ahead to the airline to arrange transportation for yourself within the airport (rides or wheelchairs from the door to the airplane).
Call ahead to the airline to arrange a "heart-healthy" meal to be served during your flight.

Work

Your health care team will talk with you about when you can return to work. It depends upon the work that you do. For some people, it's therapeutic to return to work quickly; for others, the rest is more helpful. Some people start back to work part time, or begin with shortened days. Talk with your supervisor and/or employer to arrange new hours and responsibilities that suit your health right now.

Exercise

Follow your doctors advice about starting or resuming any exercise.

What exercise can do for you

Exercise has many benefits including:

lowering your heart's workload by decreasing heart rate and blood pressure at rest
lowering your glucose level and helping your body use insulin better
increasing the metabolism of fats and lowering your blood lipids
improving the efficiency of your heart, muscles and blood vessels
improving circulation, getting more oxygen to your muscles and tissues
acting as a natural anti-depressant, lifting your spirits
helping you handle and recover from stress

To tell how hard you are exercising, use the "talk test." This is your ability to have a conversation while exercising. If you can sing, you need to work a little harder. If you have trouble talking, you need to slow down.

How often should you exercise?

Exercise needs to be tailored to the type of heart problem you have. Cardiac rehabilitation professionals are specially trained to help you design an exercise program that meets your needs.

Exercise at least three to five times each week. It is best for you to get some form of exercise every day. If you have diabetes, exercise every day, at about the same time each day. If your goal is to lose weight, exercise more than five times a week, but reduce the intensity and exercise for longer periods each time. See cardiac rehabilitation for more information.

How hard to exercise?

Your cardiac rehabilitation therapist will instruct you on how many minutes your first exercise sessions should last.