Summer road running doesn’t hurt your heart! Understand the 2 indicators of heart rate protection during exercise

Taiwanese people are crazy about road running, but running in the summer when the temperature easily exceeds 30 degrees is undoubtedly a big test for the heart. In severe cases, it may lead to myocardial infarction or even sudden death! How can we run happily to develop a strong heart, rather than hurting our heart the more we run? Many people have the habit of wearing sports bracelets or watches when exercising. Doctors teach you how to understand the "heart protection indicators" to monitor your heart health!

Summer sports fun? Be careful or you may get more "heartbroken" the more you run!

Wang Lukai, attending physician of the Department of Family Medicine at Changhua Christian Hospital, is a sports-loving doctor. He is a frequent challenger of triathlons (marathon, swimming, and cycling), and he also competed in the Tokyo Marathon at the beginning of the year. He said that the weather is hot in the summer and sweating a lot during exercise can easily cause dehydration. If electrolytes are not replenished in time, it may lead to hyponatremia. In addition, hot weather and dehydration during exercise will also cause the heart rate to increase, which increases the burden on the heart and increases the risk of myocardial infarction, which may even lead to sudden death in severe cases.

Dr. Wang Lukai is a frequent triathlete and also competed in the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year. (Photo provided by Dr. Wang Lukai)

Analyzing the causes of sudden death, most of them are related to myocardial infarction, myocarditis or myocardial disease. The early symptoms of myocarditis and myocardial disease are not obvious and require cardiac ultrasound examination for diagnosis. Myocardial infarction can be diagnosed by monitoring daily basal heart rate and heart rate during exercise to provide early warning.

Run for a healthy and strong heart! Make good use of the monitoring indicators of sports bracelets

Dr. Wang Lukai said that among the monitoring items currently provided by sports bracelets, "heart rate during exercise" and "basal heart rate" are more related to heart health management.

During exercise, the heart rate reaches 50% to 60% of the maximum heart rate, and the intensity is equivalent to warm-up exercise.

1. Heart rate during exercise

The heart rate during exercise can reflect the intensity of stimulation the exercise has on the body. The number obtained according to the formula "220 - current age" is the "maximum heart rate during exercise". In principle, when the heart rate reaches 50% to 60% of the maximum heart rate during exercise, it is considered a warm-up exercise; 60% to 70% can achieve the effect of weight loss; 70% to 80% intensity is equivalent to aerobic exercise; 80% to 90% is high-intensity aerobic exercise; and 90% to 100% is the individual's maximum oxygen uptake and is an athlete-level exercise intensity.

For most people, the heart rate should not exceed 90% during exercise. For patients with heart disease or cardiovascular disease, it should not exceed 80% to avoid the heart being unable to bear it and causing mistakes or strikes!

However, Dr. Wang Lukai emphasized that to prevent sudden myocardial infarction or even sudden death during exercise in the summer, first of all, you must confirm your physical condition. If you have symptoms such as wheezing, night sweats, chest tightness, chest pain, etc., do not force yourself to exercise; if it happens during exercise, stop immediately. Secondly, you can monitor the health of your heart through the "heart rate during exercise" in the sports bracelet!

2. Basic heart rate during sleep

"Basic heart rate" refers to the number of heart beats per minute while sleeping. Generally, the lower the value, the better the heart function. A normal person's heart beats between 60 and 100 beats per minute, while athletes' heart beats between 40 and 60 beats per minute. A heart beat of more than 100 beats per minute may indicate a cold, irregular heartbeat, or poor physical condition.

Exercise can improve cardiopulmonary function, but excessive exercise in hot weather will increase the burden on the heart.

Wear it correctly! Improve the measurement accuracy of sports bracelets

As for whether the data monitored by sports bracelets is accurate? The sports bracelets on the market use the principles of optics to sense changes in blood vessels under the skin through the light emitted from the back of the watch and the receiver. The accuracy is certainly not as good as that of medical testing equipment, but if the changes in personal long-term monitoring records are observed, it can still be used as a reference for heart health management. In addition, tighten the watch strap when wearing it, so that the back of the watch fits completely against the skin of the wrist, and avoid sweat causing the sports watch to slip, which also helps reduce the error of the data measured by the sports bracelet.

【Health Tips】:

Dr. Wang Lukai reminded that Taiwan's summers are getting hotter and hotter. When people go jogging, don't forget to drink plenty of water and protect yourself from the sun. They should also wear comfortable, sweat-wicking clothing and avoid cotton clothing that easily absorbs sweat and becomes stuffy. If the temperature is above 40℃, no matter how passionate you are, don't joke with your life. It is recommended that you "stop running"!

[Sports Dictionary/Tokyo Marathon]

The Tokyo Marathon is the largest marathon in Asia, with more than 35,000 runners participating every year. It is hailed by runners as an event that must be participated in a lifetime. However, due to limited places, many runners are left with regrets because they did not win the draw. The Tokyo Marathon is one of the six major marathons in the world, on par with the New York, Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin and other marathons.