Improving your circulation through exercise is one of the best ways of improving and preventing cardiovascular and circulation problems.

The British Heart Foundation

The British Heart Foundation statistics show cardiovascular or circulatory diseases cause over a quarter of all deaths in the UK each year. In England and Wales, this is an estimated 124,000 deaths and about 39,000 of them are in those aged under 75. In addition, the cost of treatment, prescriptions and time off work for others affected by cardiovascular problems creates an estimated £19 million burden on the economy.

Health Effects of Poor Circulation

If you have poor circulation, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the affected arteries are reduced. If your heart arteries are narrowed, you’re likely to have chest pain, or angina, when you exert yourself and increase the risk of a heart attack. But if your leg arteries are affected then you’ll likely have leg pain when walking.

Ways to Improve Circulation

There are ways to improve, prevent or reverse poor circulation and boost cardiovascular health.

These include:

• Not smoking or quitting smoking;
• Taking prescribed medication to help reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol;
• Eating a heart-healthy diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables and limited saturated animal fats;
• Keeping your weight within healthy limits;
• If you’re diabetic, keeping blood sugar levels to normal limits.

Exercise and Becoming more Active

One of the best ways to improve circulation is through regular exercise and increased activity. A sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor to poor circulation, so incorporating gentle movement into your daily routine can make a significant difference. Exercise boosts circulation by increasing blood flow, encouraging the heart to pump more efficiently, and helping to keep the arteries clear.

If you haven’t exercised in a while, it’s important to ease into it gradually to prevent unnecessary strain on the heart. For those with existing conditions, such as a history of angina or a previous heart attack, consulting a healthcare professional before starting any exercise routine is essential.

Exercises to Improve Circulation

Adding gentle exercise, such as walking, swimming or jogging, to your daily routine can help you improve or maintain good circulation. For those who own a dog, there's no excuse for lack of activity as dogs need to be walked twice a day.

To help you get into a regular exercise habit, setting yourself exercise challenges can be very motivating. For example, it could be to have a walk every day, or jog for 1km for one or two weeks, gradually building up to more.

The best exercise to improve circulation is aerobic exercise, the kind that makes you mildly out of puff.

The Department of Health

The Department of Health suggest all adults aged 19-64 should be active on a daily basis, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, in bouts of at least 10 minutes. That’s 30 minutes at least five days a week, which should be achievable for most people.

To get motivated to exercise regularly, try joining a local group for dancing, rambling, football, netball or cycling and so you can exercise with others.

Remember that if you have an existing circulatory problem speak to your doctor before trying new forms of exercise or increasing activity levels. However, done properly, people with circulation problems have even more to gain from regular exercise than the rest of the population.

If you have any concerns, speak to your doctor before trying new forms of exercise.

Source: https://www.bhf.org.uk