Getting active for heart health is easier than you think

The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle: Understand the risks 

There is a deluge of studies that show an inactive, sedentary lifestyle greatly increases your risk of heart disease — not to mention type 2 diabetes, and colon and lung cancers. And yet our modern world seems to encourage us to sit for far too long, whether it’s at a desk job or glued to our phones and social media in leisure hours. 

Break the cycle: Incorporate physical activity into your daily life  

The American Heart Association recommends an absolute minimum of about 20 minutes per day — 150 minutes per week — of moderate aerobic activity to help your heart stay healthy. Moderate aerobic activity can be brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour), water aerobics, tennis, biking, even dancing and gardening.  

Small changes, big impact: Quick tips for adding movement to your day 

Maybe you don’t think you have 20 minutes a day to add another activity to your life. But remember — it doesn’t have to be continuous. You could add several five- or 10-minute walks into your day and it would still count.  

Every bit adds up! And of course, increasing the time you spend or the intensity of your workout has even more benefits. 

Start small, think big: Get moving! 

If you need help getting started or have health concerns, talk to your doctor. You could also consider a medically supervised program such as TidalHealth Adult Fitness, which is staffed by registered nurses, respiratory therapists, clinical exercise physiologists and exercise specialists.  

Participants receive an individualized exercise prescription and can participate in group warm-up and cool-down sessions as well as one-on-one instruction for strength training, machines and free weights. There is a wide variety of aerobic exercise equipment to suit your preferences, including treadmills, ellipticals, cycles, rowers and more.