Standard cardio workouts can be hard to get pumped up for, even in the best of times. When you’re stuck inside – and the couch is calling your name – lacing up your sneaks for an at-home sweat session can be particularly tough. And yet, making time for cardio is one of the absolute best things you can do for your long-term health. In addition to helping you burn kilojoules (essential, if weight maintenance or loss is a goal), regular cardio is critical for heart health.
According to the World Health Organisation heart disease remains the leading cause of death around the world, with ischaemic heart disease responsible for 16% of the world’s death in 2019 – an appalling number that doesn’t begin to account for all the heart attacks or heart disease-related health issues that don’t result in death.
The good news: Lifestyle-related choices – like performing regular cardiovascular exercise – can help lower blood pressure, increase insulin sensitivity, reduce atherosclerosis and plaque formation, reduce aortic valve calcification, and increase organ perfusion of blood. These benefits, among others, were cited in a review of studies published in 2018 in Frontiers of Cardiovascular Medicine, highlighting how regular cardio can help reduce disease risk and burden.