Your body’s circulatory system (also known as the cardiovascular system) is made up of the heart, blood, and blood vessels. It plays a vital role in your overall health because it carries oxygen and essential nutrients to your cells, while eliminating waste products from the veins of your cells.
If your circulatory system becomes blocked by fatty substances such as cholesterol, blood flow to vital organs will be limited, causing other health problems. In some cases, pieces of plaque built up in the arteries can even break off and cause potentially fatal blood clots in the circulatory system.
Maintaining the health of your cardiovascular system protects you from circulatory diseases, which include heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and other related conditions.
What are the signs of poor circulation?
Poor circulation means that the arteries do not carry enough oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body. As a result, you may feel symptoms throughout your body, including:
- Muscle pain when walking
- Pale or bluish skin
- Cold fingers or toes
- Numbness or pins and needles sensation under the skin
- Chest pain
- Protruding veins
- Digestive problems
- Fatigue
- Varicose veins
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor and have your heart health and circulation checked.
What causes poor circulation?
There are several possible causes of poor circulation. Some of the most common include:
Obesity: Being overweight can make it harder for the body to circulate blood to the brain, extremities, and other parts of the body.
High blood pressure: When the force of blood on artery walls is consistently too high, arteries can become damaged and weaken over time, making it harder for blood to pass through them.
Smoking: Smoking tobacco products regularly can narrow blood vessels and increase the risk of plaque buildup (called atherosclerosis) in the arteries, further restricting blood flow.
Diabetes: If you have too much glucose in your blood, over time it can damage blood vessels and cause atherosclerosis.
How can you improve your blood circulation?
Exercise is one of the best ways to improve blood circulation. While specific blood circulation exercises won’t completely resolve or cure complex circulatory conditions caused by things like diabetes or tobacco smoking, they can certainly help. Exercise forces the heart to pump faster and increases blood flow in the body. And whether you’re young or old, you can still reap the benefits!
Research indicates that regular exercise in younger individuals can lower their resting heart rate and increase the efficiency of the heart as it pumps to protect against heart disease as they age. Likewise, regular exercise improves heart function in individuals in their 60s and 70s and dramatically reduces the risk of heart attacks and other coronary events.
Regular exercise also helps you achieve or maintain a healthy body weight, reducing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and improving overall heart health.
In addition to incorporating blood circulation exercises into your daily routine, there are other effective ways to improve circulation, including:
Quit smoking: Quitting tobacco products will dramatically reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Eat a healthy diet: Paying attention to what you eat will reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes, both of which contribute to impaired blood circulation.
Manage blood sugar levels: The best way to manage blood sugar levels is to monitor your sugar intake. This will shield your blood vessels from long-term damage and help maintain blood sugar levels within normal ranges.
Taking medications: This treatment option is not ideal, but your doctor may prescribe prescription medications to improve circulation. This is typically a last resort when other preventative options are not enough to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Doing all of these things will dramatically improve your blood circulation and improve the way you look and feel. In short, there is nothing to lose!
4 Exercises that improve blood circulation:
Perhaps the best part about exercising to improve blood circulation is that you are not tied to a specific type of movement. Most types of exercise will be wonderful for your heart health and circulation, and you’ll also benefit from other benefits, such as better mental health, weight loss, and better sleep.
However, our top recommended exercises for blood circulation include the following:
1. Walking:
Walking is a great exercise for blood circulation because it gets your heart pumping and pushes more blood through your blood vessels and body. Furthermore, about 20-30 minutes of brisk walking a day is enough to improve circulation. And if you keep it up, you will improve your cardiovascular health and strengthen your heart to reduce the risk of many health complications.
Luckily, it’s easy to go out for a walk most days! Whether you start your day with a brisk morning walk or use your lunch break to get some fresh air, you can walk anywhere, anytime.
2. Jogging or running:
Running is another great exercise for blood circulation. It increases heart rate, improves blood flow and helps build cardiovascular endurance and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Like walking, jogging or running is completely free and easily accessible, except possibly investing in a good pair of running shoes. Jogging can be more appealing and easier on the body if you’re just starting out. You can also alternate jogging with brisk walking until you’re ready to do more.
And if running outdoors isn’t your thing, you can always run indoors on a treadmill with Vingo! Create your one-of-a-kind avatar with a selfie and go out and explore the world from home. You will encounter beautiful landscapes, exciting landscapes and fascinating cultural attractions as you travel fantastic routes in virtual places such as Iceland and Japan. And as if that wasn’t enough, you can also go jogging or running together with your friends using Vingo’s real-time chat feature!
3. Dancing:
Are you looking for alternative exercises for blood circulation? Convince yourself to work out with a fun dance lesson! Dance is a fantastic way to improve cardiovascular health and blood flow. While you can dance at home alone, Zumba, ballroom and salsa classes are alternative ways to socialize.
4. Yoga:
Yoga is a mind-body practice that incorporates deep breathing exercises and gentle movements to increase circulation and stimulate the heart. Deep diaphragmatic breathing relaxes the body but also pushes blood flow to the chest and heart to improve circulation.
You can find guided yoga sessions online or in person (free or paid) and complete them alone or with friends. Like walking, running and dancing, you can do yoga almost anywhere and it requires no special equipment or skills. It is very beginner friendly!
