The heart is a vital organ of the body when it stops pumping it can lead to death due to insufficient blood supply and oxygen to end organs. So taking care of your heart is an important thing and going to a doctor’s office for a health checkup is often an option but at-home tests are becoming popular after the pandemic covid-19. Covid-19 cause the person couch potatoes and now everyone wants to check their heart health at home.
Here are 3 easy ways to find out your heart health at home without any device:
Stairs test
Ascending four flights of stairs in less than a minute means you have a good heart. “If it takes you more than one-and-a-half minutes to ascend four flights of stairs, your health is suboptimal, and it would be a good idea to consult a doctor.” According to a recent study by the European Society of Cardiology. A person having coronary heart disease can’t climb four flights of stairs in a minute they experience shortness of breath and chest pain. And this stairs test helps us to evaluate and prevent CAD. And help us to know when to see a doctor.
Check Heart Rate
Heart rate is checked by stethoscope and that’s not mandatory it can also be checked by measuring pulse which you can do easily at home. There are circumstances when the heart beats faster or calmer based on some conditions naturally. During physical exertions and during activity heart beats faster while in relaxation and during sleep it beats slowly. Generally, the average heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute.
Heart rate is measured on arteries and the most common artery is the radial artery (wrist) easily accessible. Simply flex your arm from the elbow and semi-flex your wrist joint now by the opposite hand measure the pulse by putting your index, middle and ring finger at your wrist joint at the radial (thumb) side now count a number of beats for 1 minute. The best time for measuring heart rate is when you wake up in the morning while you are still in bed.
Measure Blood Pressure at Home
You can measure your BP easily at home with a BP cuff or smart watches that have fitness trackers or through fitness tracker devices. The average blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. When it is above the average or more than 130/80 that means you have hypertension or high blood pressure and you need to consult your doctor to find the cause of high BP and to know for prevention of hypertension.
According to WebMD, years of high blood pressure can stiffen and narrow your artery walls, which blocks the blood flow to your heart. It can lead to heart disease or heart attack.
When to see a Doctor
If you are unable to pass the above tests then you should call your doctor or make an appointment to see your cardiologist. Although heart beat less than 60 doesn’t mean you have a disease but if you have chest pain with it then you must call your doctor. Heartbeat more than 100 during exercise is normal because the heart works harder during exertion but if you have a resting heart rate above 100 then you should consult your doctor.
