The Advantages of Increased Heart Rate During Exercise

While it's no secret that exercise is good for you, the advantages of an increased heart rate during your workout may not be so obvious. Experts from the Mayo Clinic indicate that you reap the most health benefits when your heart rate increases while exercising at a moderate or vigorous intensity level. Besides toning up and losing weight with consistent exercise, an increased heart rate during your workout has positive effects on your body's chemistry.

  1. Circulation

    • According to the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health, moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercises strengthen your heart muscle. As your heart becomes stronger, it's able to pump more blood throughout your body and picks up more oxygen from your lungs. When oxygen levels in your blood rise, the small capillaries or blood vessels throughout your body are able to expand and deliver more oxygen to your tissues. Oxygen is vital for keeping your cells healthy. As more oxygen is delivered to cells, it's exchanged for waste products that are taken away through the bloodstream and released from your body. An increase in circulation helps you get rid of toxins faster.

    Immunity

    • As your heart rate increases, nutrients, antibodies and white blood cells -- cells that fight disease -- flow more readily throughout your body. You're able to fight infections easier and repair damaged tissues faster. An increase in circulation from exercise may also trigger the release of hormones that can warn your immune cells early of intruding bacteria or viruses. An early warning gives those cells a chance to fight and destroy these bugs before they start to take hold in your body.

    Stress Reduction

    • An increased heart rate from exercise changes the balance of your body's circulating hormones. As your heart rate goes up during exercise, neurohormones, such as endorphins, are released into the bloodstream and circulate more efficiently throughout your body. These hormones act as natural painkillers and put you in a good mood. The benefit from increasing levels of circulating endorphins lasts for hours beyond your immediate workout, allowing your body to relax, reduce stress and counteract depression.

    Considerations

    • If you've never exercised before, check with your doctor first to determine the best type of exercise to start with. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults do some form of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. While small to moderate increases in your heart rate from exercise have all the previously mentioned advantages, working out too much or too vigorously can be harmful. Overdoing it in the gym or during your favorite sport can put undue stress on your body, including your heart.