The Hidden Risks of Lack of Exercise for the Heart

The heart, as a muscle, thrives on activity. It is the hardest working organ that sends oxygen and nutrients to every part of your body. However, it requires help to pump efficiently, including regular physical activity. A lack of exercise causes several unseen heart problems. Strength loss, circulation problems, high blood pressure, and increased cholesterol could occur, risking several cardiovascular conditions.

Luckily, any activity improves heart health, including walking, biking, swimming, or gardening. Your doctor may recommend cardiac rehab if extra help is needed to ensure you’re strengthening your heart safely. Knowing what happens to your heart when you aren’t active enough may also encourage you to get off the couch. We’ll discuss these risks in the following sections.

Active senior couple jogging outdoors in a park, smiling and enjoying exercise. A reminder of the benefits of staying active and avoiding the negative effects of a lack of exercise.

A Lack of Exercise – What Happens to the Heart?

Regular exercise keeps heart strong, efficient, and resilient. However, a sedentary lifestyle can have detrimental effects on heart health, leading to a range of complications that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A lack of exercise puts the heart at risk, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases. Incorporating regular physical activity into your routine can strengthen your heart, enhance circulation, and significantly improve overall well-being. It’s never too late to start moving—your heart will thank you!

Experts recommend working at least 30 minutes of exercise each day into your schedule. Such activities could include walking, running, biking, swimming, gardening, or anything else you enjoy that gets you moving.

But unfortunately, many of us lack the necessary exercise to maintain heart health. In fact, approximately 60% of adult Americans state they aren’t meeting the recommended guidelines. This causes various symptoms related to heart attack and other serious problems.

Weakens the heart muscle

Lack of exercise causes a chain reaction that weakens the heart. During sudden activity, the heart struggles to pump blood at the proper speed. Hormones flood the body, causing the kidneys to store salt and water and the blood vessels to narrow.

These hormones also trigger the heart to beat faster to maintain the necessary circulation. It becomes enlarged, while fluid backs up and causes swelling in various areas. The heart weakens and continues to do so until it can’t function properly anymore.

Impairs circulation

Impaired circulation is another heart complication occurring from a lack of exercise. Sitting for too long reduces blood flow through all vessels in the body. Any fatty deposits in the blood then settle in those vessels. Over time, they build up, narrowing the passages and reducing circulation.

If uncorrected, the buildup could block the vessels, preventing blood flow. If these blockages break free, they travel through the body to the heart, causing a heart attack. They may also reach the brain, resulting in a stroke.

Increases blood pressure

Recent studies show hypertension and other heart problems occur more frequently in those lacking exercise than in active individuals. Such inactivity often results from desk jobs, long commutes to work, lack of time, and financial issues.

The weakened heart and buildup of fatty deposits in the vessels reduce circulation. But the amount of blood remains the same, forcing it through those narrowed passages under increased pressure. Doing so damages the blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack or failure.

Increases cholesterol

The body contains two types of cholesterol, though only one causes heart problems from lack of exercise. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are good, chasing the bad cholesterol into the liver, where it’s broken down and ejected as waste.

Non-high-density lipoproteins (non-HDL) are ingested as saturated fats. When you’re inactive, the body doesn’t raise the HDL levels, allowing the non-HDLs to collect in the blood vessels. As mentioned above, those fatty deposits clog the arteries, narrowing the passages and causing severe or fatal consequences.

Resources:

  1. NY State Department of Health, Physical Inactivity and Cardiovascular Disease
    https://health.ny.gov/diseases/chronic/cvd.htm#:~:text=Less%20active%2C%20less%20fit%20persons,blood%20pressure%2C%20and%20elevated%20cholesterol
  2. Heart Online, Physical activity and heart failure
    https://www.heartonline.org.au/media/DRL/Physical_activity_and_heart_failure_booklet.pdf
  3. Texas Health, The Hidden Dangers of Sitting: How a Sedentary Lifestyle Affects Your Body
    https://www.texashealth.org/areyouawellbeing/Health-and-Well-Being/The-Hidden-Dangers-of-Sitting-How-a-Sedentary-Lifestyle-Affects-Your-Body
  4. PubMed Central, November 29, 2021, Physical inactivity, and its association with hypertension among employees in the district of Colombo
    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8628394/
  5. Mayo Clinic, High blood pressure (hypertension)
    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410
  6. British Heart Foundation, High cholesterol – symptoms, causes & levels
    https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-cholesterol
This article contains informational and educational materials and does not replace health or medical advice. For questions or concerns regarding your medical condition or health objectives, speak to a qualified physician or healthcare provider.