How does brisk walking help prevent heart disease?

A healthy heart beats at a regular rhythm to pump blood throughout the body. However, when suffering from arrhythmia, the patient experiences a condition where the heart beats too fast, too slow or the beat is interrupted. Common arrhythmias are tachycardia, bradycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation. A study published in the journal BMJ Heart analyzed data from more than 420,000 people. The results showed that people who walked fast had a 43% lower risk of arrhythmia than people who walked slowly.

New findings demonstrate the importance of walking speed and its effects on improving cardiovascular health, according to the health website Healthline (USA).

Brisk walking is a good way to reduce the risk of arrhythmia

PHOTO: AI

Brisk walking positively affects heart rate through several physiological mechanisms, including increased fitness, weight control, and blood pressure regulation. Specifically, brisk walking helps the heart beat faster and circulate blood more effectively, strengthening the heart muscle.

Brisk walking burns more calories, which can help with weight control. A healthy weight reduces the strain on your heart and helps prevent arrhythmias. For people with high blood pressure, moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, can help lower blood pressure. Blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for atrial fibrillation.

How fast should you walk?

Brisk walking is generally understood as walking at a speed of about 4 miles per hour. However, the speed at which brisk walking is recommended for optimal health benefits depends on each person's physical condition. A simple indicator of an appropriate brisk walking speed is that a person can walk briskly and talk but cannot sing. This is also considered an indicator of moderate intensity exercise.

Another effective way to determine a person's correct walking pace is to use a smartwatch or heart rate monitor. The ideal heart rate for brisk walking or moderate exercise is around 50-70% of maximum heart rate.

The maximum heart rates for people in their 20s, 40s, and 60s are 200, 180, and 160 beats per minute, respectively. For a 40-year-old, for example, the ideal heart rate range is 90–126 beats per minute, according to Healthline .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/di-bo-nhanh-giup-ngan-benh-tim-mach-the-nao-185250501193842123.htm