Exercise-induced symptoms
Exercising will cause the heart to work hard to keep up with the energy that the body needs as it moves. Exercise is healthy for the heart as it lowers the chance of risk factors like obesity or diabetes developing, which can ultimately lead to heart conditions.
Normal levels of exercise can cause a raised heartbeat, a temporary rise in blood pressure and sweating. These symptoms should lessen a short time after you stop exercising. If they don’t, it could be a sign of an underlying condition.
Overexercising can cause the heart to work too hard and damage the muscle. Research suggests that if you have an underlying heart condition (heart disease or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), overexercising can also put you at a higher risk of developing further heart issues, such as atrial fibrillation or a heart attack.
If you’re concerned about exercise-induced symptoms or that you could be overexercising, we can help you with creating a plan that works for you.
Self-monitoring warnings and health MOT results
You may be concerned about monitoring your heart’s health using a smart device to spot signs of health concerns and track its performance over time. These devices can be important for monitoring key symptoms that could signal an issue, such as blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and sleep patterns.
You may have also undertaken a health MOT to help detect any signs of health issues, including the heart.
However, readings from these monitoring methods can sometimes be confusing if you are unsure what they should be. Average heart and health readings should be within these ranges:
- Heartbeat – 60 to 100 bpm per minute while resting. When exercising, your heart rate should be 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.
- Blood pressure – 130/80 mmHg
- Oxygen levels – 95 to 100%
- Hours of sleep – between 7 to 9 hours of sleep
If you notice regular, unusual readings above or below these averages, we suggest you seek advice from a health professional to discuss these findings and potentially investigate your heart’s health further.
