Millions of Americans live with a condition called atrial fibrillation, or a-fib. New research suggests if they start exercising more, it may make it a lot easier to live with.
The study showed that when people with a-fib participated in a structured exercise program for 3.5 hours per week, they were less likely to experience ongoing symptoms of the condition and had less severe symptoms than a control group.
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The benefits lasted for at least one year.
A-fib happens when the heart’s chambers quiver chaotically. It leads to a fast and irregular heartbeat that can be quite scary and leads to symptoms like heart palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness, and extreme fatigue.
Every participant in the study, regardless of whether they were in the exercise or control group, continued their medication throughout the trial period.
After a year, people in the exercise group experienced a-fib recurrence 20 percent less frequently than the control group. When they did experience an episode, they had less severe symptoms, reporting fewer heart palpitations and shortness of breath in the following year.
The reason why exercising for 3.5 hours per week (210 minutes) is still not understood, but moderate activity is closely associated with improved heart function and health.
Participants used aerobic exercise during the trial period. This includes exercise modalities like walking, dancing, jogging, cycling, and swimming.
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Moderation is also important to those dealing with a-fib. You don’t want to perform exercise that is too intense or vigorous, so keeping things at a comfortable pace is worthwhile. Try to avoid intensity that causes the heart to race.
Starting a moderate exercise program, like walking around the block, is relatively accessible for most people. For those that may have trouble, there are ways to ease into it.
Because the benefits of exercise are far-reaching, it is certainly something worth embracing if you’ve been struggling with a-fib.
About eight years ago, Mat Lecompte had an epiphany. He’d been ignoring his health and suddenly realized he needed to do something about it. Since then, through hard work, determination and plenty of education, he has transformed his life. He’s changed his body composition by learning the ins and outs of nutrition, exercise, and fitness and wants to share his knowledge with you. Starting as a journalist over 10 years ago, Mat has not only honed his belief system and approach with practical experience, but he has also worked closely with nutritionists, dieticians, athletes, and fitness professionals. He embraces natural healing methods and believes that diet, exercise and willpower are the foundation of a healthy, happy, and drug-free existence.
