Hi everyone, welcome to my heart health blog. Today I want to share with you a simple and relaxing way to lower your heart rate and improve your cardiovascular wellness. A heart healthy activity you can do at home, with minimal equipment and time. The heart healthy activity is drinking some water or herbal tea in the form of a warm bath.
You might be wondering, how does drinking water or tea in a bath help your heart? First of all, drinking water or tea helps you stay hydrated, essential for your blood circulation and blood pressure. Dehydration can cause your heart to work harder and increase your heart rate. Second, drinking water or tea can also help you relax and reduce stress, another factor that can affect your heart rate. Stress can trigger the release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can make your heart beat faster and raise your blood pressure. Third, taking a warm bath can also help you lower your heart rate by dilating your blood vessels and improving blood flow. A warm bath can also soothe your muscles and nerves and promote a feeling of calmness and well-being.
How do you do this heart healthy activity? The heart healthy activity is very simple. All you need is a bathtub, some water or herbal tea (preferably caffeine-free), and a thermometer. Here are the steps:
1. Fill your bathtub with warm water, not too hot or too cold. The ideal temperature is around 37°C (98.6°F), which is close to your body temperature.
2. Brew some water or herbal tea in a kettle or a pot. You can choose any flavor you like, such as chamomile, mint, lemon, ginger, etc. Avoid teas that contain caffeine, such as black, green, or oolong tea, as they can have the opposite effect of raising your heart rate.
3. Pour some of the water or tea into a cup or a mug, and bring it with you to the bathroom.
4. Before you get into the bath, measure your resting heart rate using a device like a smartwatch, a fitness tracker, or a pulse oximeter. You can also use your fingers to feel your pulse on your wrist or neck, and count the number of beats in 15 seconds, then multiply by four to get your beats per minute (bpm). Write down your resting heart rate on a piece of paper or on your phone.
5. Get into the bath and relax. You can play some soothing music, light some candles, read a book, or just close your eyes and breathe deeply.
6. Sip your water or tea slowly and enjoy the warmth and aroma. Make sure you drink enough to stay hydrated, yet not too much to avoid overhydration.
7. After 15 minutes or enough time for your needs, measure your heart rate using the same method as before. Write down your new heart rate on the same piece of paper or on your phone.
8. Compare your resting heart rate and your post-bath heart rate. You need to see a decrease in your bpm, which means that your heart is working more efficiently and less stressfully.
9. Repeat this activity once or twice a week, or whenever you feel like you need to relax and lower your heart rate.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post and learned a new heart healthy activity how to take care of your heart health. I tried this activity myself and I was amazed by the results. I lowered my heart rate by 18 bpm, from 91 bpm to 73 bpm within the normal range for adults (60-100 bpm). I also felt more relaxed and refreshed after the bath. This technique may not work in anticipation of a high pressure social occasion.
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Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more.
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