World Heart Day is September 29th. Launched in 2000, the day is commemorated to promote different preventative steps and changes in lifestyle to avoid any cardiovascular diseases, like heart attack, stroke, or heart failure. On average, more than 17 million people die from heart-related illnesses every year.

We think, however, the day should be celebrated every day…at the gym! When done regularly, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (any form of movement that works your muscles and uses more energy than you use when resting) strengthens your heart muscle. Strong heart muscles improve your heart's ability to pump blood to your lungs and throughout your body. As a result, more blood is pumped throughout your muscles, and oxygen levels in your blood rise.

Check out seven other heart-healthy reasons why regular cardiovascular work belongs in your exercise plan:

1. Lower blood pressure: A healthy heart pushes out more blood with each beat, enabling it to function more efficiently. This decreases stress on the heart and surrounding arteries, potentially reducing blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular exercise may help lower it. If you don’t have high blood pressure, exercise may help prevent it from rising as you age.

2. Improve blood flow: Regular cardio-based physical activity enables the heart to achieve improved blood flow in the small vessels around it, where blockages of fatty deposits can build over time. Better circulation in these areas may prevent heart attacks. Evidence even shows that exercise can cause the body to create more physical connections between these small blood vessels, meaning the blood has more ways to travel to where it needs to go.

3. Improve workout efficiency: As you begin a new workout routine that includes cardio activity, it may take a while for your body to adjust to the faster pace. But the more routine exercise becomes, the quicker your body pulls needed oxygen from your blood during workouts. Because of this, people who work out regularly have hearts that perform better under stress and are less winded during exercise activities. Regular cardio also allows your body to recover more quickly after exercise.

4. Lower cholesterol: Many studies show that exercise is linked to healthy improvements in cholesterol, such as increasing the amount of healthy HDL cholesterol and possibly lowering bad LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent. 

5. Decrease risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes: Studies show regular exercise helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease as much as 21 percent for men and 29 percent for women. Additionally, active people have 20 percent less chance of stroke. Regular exercise also helps keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range and, in turn, helps lower the risk for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

6. Promote other heart-healthy habits: According to the American Heart Association, regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, make better nutrition choices, decrease stress, and improve your mood.

7. Reduce the incidence of heart arrhythmia, like atrial fibrillation (AFib): A common heart rhythm problem, AFib comes with a five-fold increased risk of stroke caused by a blood clot. Recently, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers reported that a strategy of weight loss, diet, and exercise resulted in lower rates of AFib and less severe disease. The American Heart Association has reported study results which indicate that in patients who exercised regularly with a short-term, high-intensity interval training regimen, the incidence of AFib was cut in half.

Inactive people on the other hand, are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as people who are physically active.

Recommendations for Physical Activity

In 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released new physical activity guidelines. For adults, the guidelines advise that:

• Some physical activity is better than none.

• For major health benefits, do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. Each bout of activity should last at least 10 minutes. For example, walk briskly (moderate physical activity) five days a week for at least 30 minutes each time.

• More physical activity will increase your health benefits.

• Muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity should be included two or more days a week. These activities should work all of the major muscle groups, including the legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms. Examples include lifting weights, working with resistance bands, sit-ups and push-ups, yoga, and heavy gardening.

Before you begin any new exercise plan, talk with your doctor about the best way to incorporate cardiovascular activity into your lifestyle. He or she can also establish baselines for your blood pressure, resting heart rate, and cholesterol that will allow you to track your success. If you’d like a personalized aerobic fitness routine that will keep you heart healthy, click the button below for a complimentary assessment with a certified Success Studio personal trainer.