Cardiovascular experts reveals weather overexercising is detrimental to heart health or not and shared some key tips to keep your heart healthy. In our search for ideal body type, the phrase “Exercise is good for the heart” which is true to some extent but some facts are still unveiled.
The world has seen an enormous rise in fitness industry that promotes rough exercise routine pushing people’s limit above the bar. In an interview. Dr. Abhijit Borse, senior Senior Interventional Cardiologist at Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai, said “Exercise can surely help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of obesity, improve cholesterol levels and strengthen the heart muscle.
While staying active is crucial for cardiovascular health, it’s equally important to strike a balance. Overexercising, often referred to as “excessive exercise,” are likely to happen when a person works out intensively without allowing his body to recover and rest properly. In some cases, an individual even follows pervasive strict diet that is not suitable for a healthy body, often leads to heart attack.
He warned against the dangers of excessive exercise, emphasizing the strain it places on the heart. While the heart naturally responds to vigorous physical activity by pumping more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, pushing exercise to extremes can lead to the heart becoming overworked and fatigued. This heightened stress on the heart increases the likelihood of adverse cardiac events. Overexercising is often linked to conditions like “athlete’s heart” or “exercise-induced cardiac remodeling,” where consistent intense workouts prompt structural changes in the heart to meet the heightened demand for blood flow. While these adaptations are typically harmless for well-trained athletes, they can pose problems for those who engage in excessive exercise without proper guidance or recovery.
Dr. Abhijit Borse highlighted the potential dangers associated with overexercising:
- Elevated Heart Rate: Engaging in excessive exercise can result in a prolonged increase in heart rate, leading to potential weakening of the heart muscle and a reduction in its ability to pump efficiently over time.
- Irregular Heart Rhythms: Intense physical activity without sufficient recovery periods may induce abnormal heart rhythms, such as arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation), raising the risk of blood clots and stroke.
- Heart Disease: The tendency for excessive exercise to contribute to the onset of heart disease becomes more pronounced, especially in individuals with preexisting risk factors.
- Weakened Immune System: Overtraining has the potential to compromise the immune system, rendering individuals more vulnerable to infections, indirectly affecting heart health.
According to him, the crucial aspect is discovering a balance that aligns with your individual fitness level and objectives while practicing moderation. Dr. Abhijit Borse provided some essential tips to safeguard your heart:
- Listen to Your Body: Be attentive to signs of fatigue, pain, or excessive soreness, as these are indications that your body requires rest.
- Diversify Your Exercise Routine: Integrate a combination of cardio, strength, and flexibility training to prevent overuse injuries and lower the risk of overexertion.
- Allow for Rest Days: Schedule regular rest days within your fitness routine to provide your body with the necessary time for recovery and repair.
- Seek Professional Guidance: Consider collaborating with a certified trainer or a doctor who can assist you in developing a well-balanced exercise plan tailored to your specific needs.
Remember that maintaining a healthy heart involves not only the quantity of exercise but also the quality and consistency of your fitness regimen.
