Exercise Post Heart Attack
Having a heart attack is an extremely confronting experience for most people.
You may feel shocked, fearful, confused or even relieved that you came out on the other side. Recovery from your heart attack continues when you go home and you may find the first few weeks will be a big transition. You may also feel tired and find you need to rest a lot more than usual, however it is best to try and get back into a normal routine as soon as possible.
Along with managing lots of other lifestyle factors, exercise should form a part of your ongoing treatment when you leave hospital. Most people will hopefully begin a cardiac rehabilitation program before or soon after leaving hospital.
It is important to talk to your doctor or cardiac rehabilitation team about when you can start different activities again and how to pace your program. You can read more about what cardiac rehabilitation involves at: What is cardiac rehabilitation?
As with anyone, starting out on a new exercise journey must start with forming personal goals. These goals will help you take charge of your recovery post heart attack as you look after both your emotional and physical wellbeing.
Physical activity
The Heart Foundation recommends you aim to build up to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. They suggest even breaking this up into three lots of 10 minutes to make it more manageable.
For example, 10 minutes each of walking, gardening or light housework. For more information on HIIPA (this style of short bursts of exercise) on our website at: The New Science Behind Exercise!
To start your exercise journey after a heart attack, it is safest (and most comfortable) for you to start slowly and build up gradually. Initially you should exercise at a level that allows you to talk without getting short of breath. Walking is a great way to get moving if you have a heart condition. It is gentle on your body as it is a low-impact activity that you can do at your own pace.
Consider joining a local walking group! This will help you to keep fit and make new friends - some may even be on the same journey as you - and of course, it doesn’t cost a thing! Talk to your doctor or health professional or if you are worried or unsure if you are doing too much or too little.
Make it regular!
Regular, moderate-intensity physical activity is great for you, especially if you have coronary heart disease. It brings many benefits, including helping you to:
- Recover from your heart attack
- Improve your long-term health
- Increase your energy levels
- Reduce your risk of more heart problems
- Lower your blood pressure
Be patient
You won’t get these benefits all at once, or all of the same benefits. As you progress it may take longer to achieve each goal. It is important to take as long as your body needs to recover. Seek support from friends, family, your doctor and your cardiac rehabilitation team.
Only move on to the next goal when you meet your physical activity target without discomfort. If you don’t feel well enough on one day, listen to your body and give it the rest it needs before getting back into activity.
Doing regular physical activity and reducing the amount of sitting time will improve your health no matter your age, abilities, or conditions.
- Emotional health
Whilst at WHEN our focus is on exercise and physical activity, after a significant health experience, it is important to acknowledge your emotional health state.
Emotional health may not strike you as the most important aspect of recovery from a physical condition, but it is actually at the heart of your body’s functionality. A heart attack is a life-changing experience, and it’s normal to feel worried, angry, sad, lonely, or guilty after you have had one.
These emotions don’t usually last long, but it’s good to keep track of how you’re feeling. Depression, anxiety and lack of social support can slow your recovery and increase your risk of more problems. So remember, it’s important to take care of both your emotional and physical health.
The Heart Foundation has an “emotional health self- assessment checklist” at which you can find at: Managing emotional stress
Of course, being physically active has proven time and again to be your body’s best medicine! Being more active every day will help you recover and lower your risk of more problems.
REFERENCES:
HEART FOUNDATION (N.D). HEART ATTACK RECOVERY. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.HEARTFOUNDATION.ORG.AU/AFTER-MY-HEART-ATTACK/HEART-ATTACK- RECOVERY/EXERCISE-AFTER-A-HEART-ATTACK
HEART FOUNDATION (N.D). EXERCISE TIPS. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.HEARTFOUNDATION.ORG.AU/AFTER-MY-HEART-ATTACK/HEART-ATTACK- RECOVERY/EXERCISE-AFTER-A-HEART-ATTACK/EXERCISE-TIPS
AUTHOR: ELLIE GRIFFIN
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