When Is The Best Time To Get Your Workout In For Optimal Heart Health?
Heart health is incredibly important for everyone. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. While many cardiovascular health advocates have tried to spread awareness of the condition, only 56% of women understand that the disease can be lethal to women. Some assume it is an ailment that mostly impacts men.
Some symptoms of heart disease in women include dull or sharp pain in the chest, pain in the neck, jaw, or throat, or in the upper stomach or back. Other signs you should seek medical help are if you have any of these pains paired with nausea, vomiting, or fatigue.
While these statistics may be scary, there are ways to prevent yourself from getting the disease in the first place, shares the FDA. Know your risk factors (pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or family history of heart disease), and keep a healthy diet and exercise regimen, just to name a few.
If you're looking to work out in order to help your heart, some experts believe there may be a best time to get your exercise in for optimal heart health.
It may be best for your heart to get your workout in early
It's not uncommon for women to want to take precautions after learning heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death. The FDA has some recommendations available to help lower your risk of finding yourself diagnosed with the disease.
Many of these recommendations are centered around knowing your pre-existing conditions and managing them, as well as having a sound and healthy diet and exercise routine. The FDA recommends eating a low sodium, low trans fats, and low sugar diet. The organization also encourages exercises that target your cardiovascular health.
A new study conducted by Leiden University Medical Center has found that there may be an optimal time to exercise for heart health. Gali Albalak, the doctoral candidate behind the study shared her findings.
"It is well established that exercise is good for heart health, and our study now indicates that morning activity seems to be most beneficial," shared Albalak. She analyzed women between the ages of 42 and 78 years old, having them wear an activity tracker for their morning walks.
Albalak found that 6 to 8 years after the initial study, out of those who had a stroke, the chance was lowered for those who did their cardio in the morning.