Aerobic exercise is activity that increases your heart rate. This boosts blood flow to your muscles and causes you to breathe faster, improving oxygen delivery throughout the body.
In addition to strengthening your heart, aerobic exercise improves lung function, helps you build stronger bones, and helps clear your arteries of harmful plaque that can cause a heart attack or stroke.
According to a Scientific Statement from the American College of Cardiology, exercise is an important component of prevention and treatment of heart disease and should be prescribed as part of an overall care plan.
One of the best and most accessible forms of aerobic activity is walking. Research suggests that getting as little as 5,000 to 7,000 steps per day can lead to a substantially lower risk of heart disease and death from any cause.
Other examples of aerobic exercise include:
- Jogging or running
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Jumping rope
- Climbing stairs at home or at work
- Playing sports, such as tennis, soccer, basketball, or racquetball
- Dancing
- Gardening
- Doing household chores
Experts recommend choosing the type of activity that you enjoy and works best for you. Talk to your doctor about an individualized prescription plan for exercise that fits your capacity, lifestyle, goals, and preferences.
