Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing, especially if you want to keep your heart healthy. Like any muscle, the more you exercise, the stronger it gets.

So, what are the specific benefits of exercising for your heart health?

1. Can help lower blood pressure

A healthy, happy heart can pump more blood around the body with each beat, meaning it functions more efficiently. With the heart functioning more efficiently, it decreases the stress on the heart and surrounding arteries, which can in turn potentially decrease blood pressure. When you exercise, endorphins are released to counteract the negative effects of stress hormones, then as your body relaxes it lowers your blood pressure. 

2. Exercise can lower stress

Increased stress hormones for a prolonged period can add an extra burden to your heart. Exercise is a natural stress-reliever because of the previously mentioned endorphins, so it can be a great option for reducing this extra burden on your heart. Even better, exercising regularly in relaxing natural surroundings, for example going for a bike ride, or a walk, or even enjoying some yoga in your garden, is a perfect way to de-stress. 

3. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight    

Regular exercise paired with eating nutritious, healthy foods can help you maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can put stress on the heart and increase the risk of heart disease and having a stroke, so staying at a healthy weight helps reduce stress on your heart.

4. Exercise helps improve sleep

Lack of sleep can put the body under a lot of stress, especially if you are regularly sleep-deprived. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of daily life and stresses can make getting a good night’s sleep harder. Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and even deepen your sleep – helping you feel more refreshed and energised when you wake up.

5. Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes

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

How we can help!

One of the many benefits of living in an Inspired village is that we have wellbeing navigators who can work with you on reaching your fitness goals and arrange lots of activities for residents to take part in –‘pool pilates’, paddleboarding, cycling and walking challenges, and stretch and tone classes (or ‘stretch and groan’ as our residents call them!) are just a very small sample of what we offer! Not to mention our villages have fantastic exercise facilities on residents’ doorsteps such as pools, fitness studios for classes, and gyms with specialist, strength-oriented equipment that provide workouts tailored to each resident.  As Veronica Pert, a resident at Millbrook Village, says: “I feel fitter here now than I’ve ever done.”

If you’d like to find out more about us and the benefits and attractions of renting or buying a home in an Inspired village, get in touch today or read our blog on the benefits of living in a retirement village.