Have you noticed how you start pacing up and down when you’re nervous or anxious?

Physical activity helps the body relieve stress. Exercise is as essential for your mental and emotional well-being as it is for your physical fitness. So, getting diagnosed with a cardiac condition like arrhythmia that compels you to tread with caution, can affect you in more ways than one. Fortunately, it is possible for you to lead an active life, even with heart disease.

An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that develops when disease or injury disrupts the heart’s electrical signals, leading it to beat erratically and cause changes in blood flow. People with arrhythmia often experience palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or more severe symptoms. The thought of physical activity can seem daunting in this condition, sending your mind into a spiral of doubts— “How much is too much?” “What is safe for me to do?” “How will I know if something’s not alright?”

Staying active is necessary to keep your heart healthy— it not only lowers your risk of a heart disease, but also aids recovery after a medical procedure, should you need one. But it’s also important that you don’t put yourself at any risk. Talk to your physician before you choose an exercise plan. Depending on what kind of arrhythmia you have and where you are in your health journey, your doctor will outline what you can do and what you must avoid. For example, some kinds of exercise increase the body’s adrenaline to a level that can worsen certain types of arrhythmia. Weightlifting, too, can put a strain on your heart, unless it is done in a safe, supervised manner, while evidence suggests that practicing yoga helps to manage the psychological stress as well as the risk factors associated with arrhythmia. So plan your workouts mindfully. You could even consider consulting a fitness trainer who can tailor your exercise schedule basis your doctor’s recommendations, and a nutritionist who can advise you on a diet plan that complements your exercise routine.

No matter what the level of physical activity, however, it is crucial that you listen to your body and address any signs of discomfort immediately. If you experience any symptom, notify your doctors so they can take action to avert a crisis. Of course, being on a constant lookout can be quite stressful! But what if your doctor could monitor your health real-time, without needing you to be constantly alert? With remote patient monitoring devices like the Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM), this is now easily possible!

The ICM monitors your heart’s working and records real-time data that you can sync with your smartphone and access at any time. This tiny device sits under your skin, near your heart, allowing your doctor to remotely monitor the variations in your heart rhythm and step in for timely intervention. Thus, remote monitoring technology enables you to be less worried about tracking abnormalities or irregularities in your heartbeat. This is a huge relief, for patients and caregiver alike; they can go about their day in as normal a way as advised, while staying connected to their healthcare providers at all times.

Being active is about finding your rhythm— about helping your heart beat at a healthy pace, about letting your body sync with your mind. Heart disease shouldn’t stop you from achieving this balance. As cardiac care evolves with health-tech innovations like insertable cardiac monitors, remotely managed defibrillators and pacemakers, more and more people can take charge of their health and lead best possible lives, without losing their peace of mind.

Disclaimer: The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive /for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information.