Living with a Low Heart Rate: 4 Helpful Daily Habits

Several factors may contribute to bradycardia, including age, mineral imbalances, medications, or chronic illness. However, some lifestyle choices worsen the condition, including smoking and alcohol use. Even high blood pressure and stress could contribute to a low heart rate. To strengthen your heart and prevent worsening bradycardia, the following may help.

Your heart pumps blood throughout the body, sending oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, organs, and tissue. Circulation also removes toxins and waste products, keeping everything clean and healthy. When your heart rate is low, circulation suffers, preventing the beneficial additives in the blood from getting where they’re needed.

Luckily, staying active can improve your heart rate and circulation. As you exercise, the heart beats faster, increasing blood flow. The more active you are, the stronger your heart becomes. You’ll also burn calories, reduce excess weight, and reduce high blood pressure for better circulation.

Hydration is another important aspect of heart health. Our bodies are approximately 60% water. This fluid helps with cell creation and function, removes waste, lubricates joints, and regulates temperature.

When we’re lacking fluids, every system suffers, including our hearts. According to experts, dehydration reduces blood volume, causing the heart to beat faster. Though this sounds beneficial to those with a low heart rate, the opposite is true. The blood retains more sodium, becoming thicker and preventing smooth circulation.

We all deal with stress throughout our lives. Though short instances are normal, chronic stress wreaks havoc on our hearts. Experts state constant stress raises cortisol levels, increasing cholesterol, blood sugar, triglycerides, and blood pressure. Plaque buildup in the arteries also reduces circulation, making it harder for your low heart rate to maintain circulation.

Reducing stress is the best way to improve your low heart rate. Exercise, meditation, yoga, and relaxing hobbies are beneficial. Treatment for anxiety, depression, or other medical issues also reduces stress.

Your body requires electrolytes to maintain healthy fluid levels for proper cell function and to regulate chemical reactions. Lacking electrolytes affects various functions, including your heart rate. For instance, reduced magnesium, chloride, or potassium levels results in heart arrhythmias. Calcium and phosphate are also associated with heart function, including heart rate.

If low electrolytes are altering your already slow heart rate, increasing the levels is vital. A healthy diet featuring fruits, veggies, lean meats, and dairy will raise electrolytes in the body. Sports drinks many be another option, though many of them  are mostly sugar, sodium, and potassium, which are dangerous in high levels ⁷.

Resources:

1. Mayo Clinic, Bradycardia
   https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bradycardia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355474
2. British Heart Foundation, How your heart works
   https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/how-a-healthy-heart-works
3. New England Baptist Hospital, Feb. 17, 2016, How Does Exercise Affect Your Heart, and What are the Benefits?
4. The Heart Foundation, March 8, 2019, The Importance of Water
   https://theheartfoundation.org/2019/03/08/the-importance-of-water/
5. URMC, Stress Can Increase Your Risk for Heart Disease
   https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=2171
6. Cleveland Clinic, Electrolytes
   https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21790-electrolytes
7. American Heart Foundation, June 19, 2024, Electrolytes can give the body a charge, but try not to overdo it
   https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/06/19/electrolytes-can-give-the-body-a-charge-but-try-not-to-overdo-it