Who is healthier? The person with a rock-stable heart rate, or the one whose heart rate slightly dips and rises?
Answer: Agility, with small ups and downs, wins the heart health race.
The heart is constantly on duty, and it needs to respond to rapid changes in the body’s position, level of activity, temperature, and emotional state. As the demands on the body change, a healthy heart needs to make split-second corrections.
Why is heart-rate variability important?
Heart rate control is largely the job of the the involuntary nervous system. This system balances stimulating and slowing impulses to achieve the perfect heart rate for any given situation.
Inhalation tends to speed the heart a bit, while exhalation applies a gentle brake. Children have super-responsive control systems that lead to clear swings in heart rate.
In adults, the control system is less responsive and the beats become more uniform. The greater the loss in heart rate swings, the higher the risk for a host of health problems, including heart attacks.
Fortunately, there are many ways we can restore heart rate flexibility.
Here are key things that help:
- Mediterranean Diet
- Physical activity
- Guided breathing exercises
- Meditation
We now understand that the “involuntary” nervous system is largely under your control. Take full advantage of these powerful lifestyle strategies that will help you maintain an agile and open heart.
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