3 natural ways to improve heart rate

60-100 bpm is sign of a healthy heart. If it slows down, exercise is the best way to restore heart health and get it pumping. Aerobic exercises like walking and swimming are a good place to start. Move on to dancing and cycling as your heart grows stronger. With resistance training muscles need oxygenated blood and this makes heart beat faster. Stretching and yoga improve muscle flexibility and get the blood flowing.

In order to improve heart rate it is necessary to get the heart pumping which in turn will lead to better heart health.

With age we can experience changes in our heart rate; it can become slower, irregular or reveal an underlying heart condition you didn't know existed. Therefore, it's important to get our hearts pumping in order to improve our heart rates and overall heart health.

There are many factors aside from age which can affect heart rate: air temperature, body position, body size and medication.

To best check your heart rate, place two fingers on your wrist, on the inside of your elbow, on the side of your neck or on the top of your foot. Once you find your heart rate simply count how many beats you feel within 60 seconds. A healthy heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).

Whatever gets you moving will get your heart pumping, but if you're stumped for ideas, try these 3:

Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises safely increase your heart rate. Aerobic activities include hiking, water aerobics, cycling, swimming, running, kickboxing and dancing. Picking the right aerobic exercise should be based on your personal needs, abilities and what you enjoy doing. If you're just starting off with exercise, it's a good idea to begin with lower impact and gentler moves, like walking and swimming. Once your heart starts to become stronger you can move up to longer hours of dancing or cycling.

Resistance Training

Resistance training involves the use of weights or any other mechanism which adds resistance. When muscles are met with resistance they require more oxygenated blood which in turn increases heart rate.

At first you can use your own body as resistance, like in a push-up or squat position, but over time you can add additional weight. It's advised that you should complete 8 to 12 repetitions of at least three sets.

Stretching

You may not think that stretching can get the heart pumping, but it definitely can and is necessary for good heart health. Stretching increases flexibility and improves blood flow, so you don't have to work as hard. You can boost your stretching by partaking in different styles of yoga.

Two things to keep in mind prior to beginning a workout are your medical condition and ability. It's always important to have clearance from a doctor and even guidance before working out.

Furthermore, know your limits. Although you may want immediate results, overworking yourself will only lead to injury and leave you unable to exercise. Take your time, start off slow and gradually build your way up.

Not only will exercise get your heart pumping, but it can reduce your risk of many common heart-related illnesses as your heart will become much stronger.