Month: February 2023

A heart rate monitor watch can track your heart rate all the time, allowing you to gauge the intensity of your workouts, monitor stress, review your sleep quality, and keep track of vital signs. Most people are aware of their normal resting heart rate and should count the number of times the heart beats each minute.

Low resting heart rates indicate cardiovascular fitness, but a high resting heart rate could mean that you have heart or lung ailments that could cause cardiac events. Tracking this information and understanding what’s normal can be empowering and help you stay on track with your health. Let’s learn more about heart rate monitoring products.

Types of Heart Rate Monitors

Heart rate monitor watches use different approaches to test your pulse rate or heart rate.

1. Electrodes from Electrocardiography (ECG) sensors will track the electrical signals generated with each heartbeat.
2. Optical sensors often use PPG (photoplethysmography), which means infrared light is shone through the skin and measures the changes of your blood pressure or volume. 

Both options can detect early signs of heart disease or failure if they offer reliable readings.

Styles Available

The two common heart rate monitor styles include wrist-based and chest-strap monitors. Chest straps use ECG to detect the electrical activity of the heart while it beats. However, wrist-based monitors use PPG and light-emitting diodes to shine light through the major arteries in the wrist and forearm.

Companies are now getting creative with where a person can wear the monitor. Some feature rings and even entire garments that have sensors in multiple locations, such as leggings, sports bras, and shorts.

Bluetooth vs. ANT+

To see the heart rate data, you must connect the heart rate monitor to another device, such as a watch, smartphone, or another piece of equipment that uses Bluetooth or ANT+.

ANT+ (interoperability) features a 2.4 gigahertz wireless network to broadcast the information, so you don’t have to pair devices. Bluetooth uses the same frequency but requires pairing between the devices. Likewise, some heart rate monitors have built-in GPS to track how long you’ve walked/run.

Selecting the Best Heart Rate Monitors

Many people wonder which watch has the best heart rate monitor, and the Apple Watch series is one of the most ideal fitness tracker options on the market. When choosing one, it’s wise to focus on these aspects:

Exercise Intensity Tracking

Most people wear heart rate monitors for cardio (aerobic) exercise. It’s wise to buy a high-end heart monitor with a chest strap if you’re focused on high-intensity activities. Likewise, you may need one that shows how much oxygen you take in while working out.

Fit and Style

Wrist-based monitors (watches) sit above your wrist bone. However, the chest strap sits below the sternum or under the chest muscles. 

Most doctors and individuals feel that the straps offer more accurate data compared to the wrist-based versions, but it’s usually a personal preference. Those who wear one to track blood oxygen levels or other health metrics may want to choose a chest strap version.

Connectivity

The watch that monitors heart rate should be capable of Bluetooth and ANT+ connections. If you get a monitor that only uses one or the other, consider how you’ll view the information.

Metrics (Sleep Tracking, Heart Health, Blood Oxygen Saturation Levels, and More)

Sometimes, monitors only measure your heart rate. Others will track your calories burned, workout duration, distance covered, sleep metrics, breathing rate, stride length, and may even track a woman’s menstrual cycle. 

Those who have an irregular heart rhythm and are at risk for going into atrial fibrillation may need a sports watch that also helps them measure stress levels. They may include a skin temperature sensor, relaxation breathing timer, and sleep quality tracking.

It’s wise to speak with a healthcare professional to determine which of the most popular fitness apps are best for you. While it’s good to know how many calories you burn, a stress monitor or blood flow information might be more helpful to the doctor.

Versatility and Accuracy

Most chest straps and armbands track basic metrics, but a wristband can also be a smartwatch. They may receive notifications, send reminders, and much more.

You can also find a fitness tracker that features guided breathing exercises when you choose something more high-end.

One question many people wonder is: are heart rate monitor watches accurate? A low-end fitness watch, such as the Fitbit app, can be wrong often. Many people use them solely to get an idea of how long they work out.

If you often experience chest pain or see a cardiologist, fitness tracking might not be the most important aspect. You may need to focus more on tracking sleep stages and other factors that might compromise your health.

Battery Life

A heart rate monitor, whether wrist- or chest-based, should have a long battery life and be rechargeable. Therefore, you might be able to go for several days without recharging it.

However, you may require coin-cell batteries, which may not provide an extra-long battery life. Therefore, it’s best to separate the chest strap from the sensor when you don’t wear it to extend that battery life.

Some products may include a low-power mode, which means some functionality is lost. Though the battery life lasts a while, they may start shutting down slowly.

It’s wise to get a heart rate monitor with an excellent battery life if at all possible.

Budget

Generally, a low-cost monitor has fewer features. More expensive models will track more things and might even play music or automatically send your fitness stats to your app or cardiologist.

Should You Get a Heart Rate Monitoring Smart Watch?

If you require continuous heart rate monitoring, it’s crucial to consider the many features and options available. For example, the Apple Watch 7 features a larger screen and has always-on retina display, so it’s easier to check things without raising the wrist or touching the screen.

Those who want to learn more about common cardiac devices can click here. It’s an excellent resource that focuses on cardiology.

Many people include physical activity in their daily routines for weight loss or muscle mass building. However, regular exercise can do much more than that.

Cardio exercise, also known as aerobic exercise, brings many benefits to heart health. In addition, cardio workouts can strengthen your heart and blood vessels, lower blood pressure and LDL or “bad” cholesterol, improve oxygen circulation, and reduce the risk of some diseases, including diabetes and stroke.

Thanks to all these reasons, it’s considered the best type of exercise for the cardiovascular system! Do you want to know the best cardio workout for heart health and better understand how it can favor your body? Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is the Best Cardio Workout for a Healthy Heart?

When people are advised to add exercise to their routines and lead a more active life, there’s a common question: “What are the best cardio workouts for heart health?”

The answer is short in most cases: as long as you do some physical activity, you can choose any type of exercise you like. Even if you only take a 30-minute brisk walk daily, you’ll notice a big difference.

However, to make your heart muscle stronger and healthier, you should exercise regularly. Ideally, physical activity should be in your daily routine.

Staying active through cardio workouts can preserve the heart’s function, help you lose weight, and reduce some health risks. Actually, people who don’t exercise frequently are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease than active people.

Cardio Workout for Heart Patients: Exercises to Consider

When it comes to aerobic exercise, running, jogging, and biking are good ideas. All these activities can raise your heart rate and make you breathe harder. You can also consider swimming or walking if you are just starting out or have joint problems.

Other cardio exercises that can improve heart health include playing tennis or soccer, dancing, jumping rope, circuit training, kickboxing, and water aerobics.

As mentioned, the activity you choose doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you like and enjoy the exercise you choose. If you’re interested in what you’re doing, it’s easier to make it part of your daily routine.

Incorporating Cardio Workouts into Your Exercise Routine

Whether you only want to improve your health or suffer from a heart condition, developing a regular exercise routine can help tremendously. Most experts recommend doing physical activity at least 150 hours a week, or 30 minutes a day for five days a week.

However, you should vary both the types of exercise and its intensity on different days. Besides helping you use different muscle groups, this strategy reduces the risk of overuse injuries.

Additionally, it can help you stay interested in physical activity, making it easier to incorporate into your daily routine and leverage all its benefits.

Some experts also recommend moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes two or three days a week. While doing these exercises, you may experience hard breathing and break a sweat but still be able to talk.

In addition to moderate-intensity exercise, an ideal routine should also include an hour of a longer activity. It could be low-intensity (a round of golf or a long bike ride) or high-intensity (Zumba).

What to Do Besides Cardio Exercises – A Full Body Workout

At this point, you should have at least three days covered. On the fourth day, you should include high-intensity training, as it can stimulate the muscles and induce different responses from both the heart and the blood vessels.

If you want to include high-intensity training in your exercise routine, you can do the following:

• Exercise as hard as you can for a set period
• Rest briefly
• Do vigorous exercise again for a short period

This exercise strategy is known as High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. While there are many types of HIIT, you can try the 4×4 method, which involves working out in four-minute intervals and doing four total cycles.

Besides cardio workouts, your heart and the whole body can also benefit from strength training one or two days a week. However, it doesn’t mean you have to lift heavy weights in the gym.

Strength or resistance training comes in several types, too. Some alternatives include pilates, body weight calisthenics, Thai chi, or even strength yoga.

Other exercises you can do at home, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and squats, are also effective forms of weight training, as they allow you to use your own body weight.

How to Gauge Intensity

Regardless of the activity or exercise program, it’s important to measure the intensity. There are two ways to do this: paying attention to how you feel and checking your heart rate. The second option is more objective.

Using Your Heart Rate to Gauge Intensity

To measure your exercise intensity, you must see how hard your heart beats during physical activity. These are the steps you should follow:

1. Calculate your maximum heart rate (it’s how many times your heart should beat every 60 seconds while you’re working out) by subtracting your age from 220
2. Determine your target heart rate range (the level at which your heart is exercised but not overworked)

Determining Target Heart Rate Zones

The heart rate reserve or HRR method can help you calculate the right target heart rate zone. Follow these steps:

1. Calculate your maximum heart rate
2. Check how many times your heart beats every 60 seconds while you’re resting
3. Subtract the resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate to determine the HRR
4. Multiply the HRR by 70% or 80% and add the resting rate to this number
5. As a result, you’ll have your average target heart rate zone (Ideally, it should be between both numbers)

What Is the Best Heart Rate for a Cardio Workout?

There’s no ideal heart rate for a cardio workout for all people. Each person must calculate their own.

However, the American Heart Association (AHA) says a good heart rate for a cardio workout should be as explained below:

Normal Heart Rate for Cardio Workout by Age

• 20-year-old people: 100-170
• 30-year-old people: 95-162
• 35-year-old people: 93–157
• 40-year-old people: 90–153
• 45-year-old people: 88-149
• 50-year-old people: 85-145
• 55-year-old people: 83-140
• 60-year-old people: 80-136
• 65-year-old people: 78-132
• 70-year-old people: 75-128

The heart rate goal for a cardio workout for a person who is just starting to exercise should be closer to the maximum heart rate’s lower end. However, it can be built up gradually towards the 85% mark.

Can You Exercise If You Have High Blood Pressure or Heart Disease?

Essentially, yes, you can! However, anyone suffering from heart disease should consult with their doctor and seek help from a personal trainer (if possible) before starting an exercise routine, especially if it includes resistance training.

Final Thoughts: Is Cardio Workout Good For the Heart?

An inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for a heart attack and several diseases or conditions. However, aerobic exercise can be of great help.

Besides being key to losing weight, cardio workouts have other health benefits, even if you’re only brisk walking.

Therefore, if you want to keep your heart healthy or improve your fitness level, it should be part of your daily routine!