We’ve always been told that engaging in regular exercises like walking, running, or swimming gives us a healthier heart. But do you know that over-exercising may also over-work your heart and increase your chances of having heart disease? A fast heart rate of over 100 beats per minute can make you lose your breath and cause you to faint. In more serious cases, a fast heart rate might even result in cardiac arrest.
To have a healthy heart, your heart rate should neither be too slow nor too fast. Your cardiologist will be able to help you understand and achieve your ideal heart rate. Here’s how your doctor can help:
First, your cardiologist in Singapore will help you determine your heart rate at rest. Depending on your age group, there is a corresponding ideal resting heart rate for you. Children from 10 years old and adults up to 60 years old have an average resting heart rate of 60-100 beats per minute, while fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes have an average resting heart rate of 40-60 beats per minute. To determine your ideal heart rate at rest, you can discuss your individual physical activity profile with your cardiologist in Singapore.
Second, your cardiologist in Singapore will help you identify the intensity of physical exercises that would be just enough for you to achieve your ideal heart rate. How do you know if you’re exercising enough to “wake” up your sleepy heart so that it ticks to the right number of beats? If you don’t push yourself enough, your heart rate could stay low even if you think you’ve put in the effort. Because of this, you might experience serious symptoms of bradycardia or slow heart rate, which can include weakness and shortness of breath, resulting from your heart’s inability to pump enough blood to supply to your body. You should discuss with your cardiologist on targeting your ideal heart rate. A very low heart rate might indicate the need for a pacemaker, a device that helps normalize your heart rate when doing physical exercises does not work.
Finally, it pays to talk to your cardiologist in Singapore about consistently achieving your ideal heart rate. Your cardiologist in Singapore will identify your ideal heart rate according to your age group. Usually, it is 220 beats per minute minus your age. Your heart rate changes as you do more exercises or engage in sports with increasing intensity. During a moderately intense physical activity, your heart rate should ideally be 50%-69% of your maximum heart rate. As the intensity of your physical activity increases, your heart rate also increases up to 70%-90% of your maximum heart rate.
Remember, a heart rate that is too fast or too slow isn’t healthy. With the right information from your cardiologist in Singapore, and the right amount of exercise on your part, you will hit your target heart rate – and heart health – with success. Good luck!