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Exercise To Prevent Strokes

A little extra motivation never hurts when it comes to working up a sweat — especially when it’s in the form of preventing a deadly or disabling stroke.

A recent study published in the medical journal Stroke reveals that working out regularly makes you far more likely to keep a stroke at bay.

But, the converse is true too. The same study finds that spending too much time at your desk or on the couch makes you far more likely to have a stroke.

The good news is that even with the busiest of schedules you can improve your odds and stay safe. Here’s how much exercise it takes…
The More You Exercise, the Lower Your Risk of Stroke

When compared to study participants who were completely inactive, those who exercised four times a week displayed a 20% decreased risk of having a stroke or mini-stroke.

That’s what scientists discovered when they analyzed data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study to find clues about how exercise affects stroke risk.

Even those who got off their backsides and exercised just one to three times a week fared better than the inactive group — they enjoyed a 16% decreased risk of stroke or mini-stroke.
How Exercise Reduces Stroke Risk

During a stroke, blood vessels that supply the brain are blocked or ruptured, thus preventing brain cells from receiving the oxygen they need. Brain cells may be damaged, and this can result in permanent loss of speech, movement, or memory.

Regular exercise protects you from the chronic health conditions that often lead to a stroke. The people who exercised four times a week in the REGARDS study had fewer instances of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and were less likely to smoke.

This tells us that exercise works to reduce stroke risk by reducing the severity and incidence of these other disorders.

Lead researcher Dr. Michelle McDonnell put it this way in a MedScape article about the study, “[E]xercise seems to be working by reducing blood pressure and reducing obesity and perhaps helping with controlling diabetes, so exercise is working on lots of things all at the same time.” “It’s kind of like killing four birds with one stone,” she said in a National Institutes of Healtharticle.
Get Your Blood Pumping

Hitting the gym regularly is one way to get enough exercise, but it’s not the only option. Sign up for bi-weekly movement classes, such as yoga or dance. Instead of driving to do all of your errands, ride a bike or take a brisk walk. Even yard work such as raking leaves can provide an excellent workout.

What matters most is that you get your blood pumping and raise your heart rate. If you can do this for about 150 minutes a week, that’s even better, according to the American Stroke Association.

When you do, you’ll be preventing a whole host of problems, and giving yourself the best possible chance to enjoy an active life for many years to come.