Early Morning Exercise May Be Risky For Heart Patients, Experts Say

Exercising in the morning upon waking up may not be that healthy for patients with high blood pressure and heart disease, heart specialists say. Scientific evidence shows increased incidence of strokes and heart attacks in the early morning, between 6 and 8 a.m. compared to any other 2-hour period during the day.

Prof. Trefor Morgan, a world-renowned heart specialist, said “The alarming fact is that most people including those who have uncontrolled hypertention and significant heart disease exercise at this time.” According to Prof. Morgan the blood pressure steeply rises upon assumption of an upright position from an overnight sleep.

Professor Morgan further explained that the blood pressure is highest from 6 to 10 in the morning, and falls steadily during the latter art of the day and through the evening, with lowest levels between midnight and 2 a.m. It slowly rises again while one is still sound asleep until about 6 a.m. This pattern is called circadian rhythm of blood pressure.

Factors that have been implicated in this early morning period are the increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, increased adrenaline which cause an increase in heart rate, and irritability of the heart muscle with increased pumping of the heart. Other contributory factors cited are the increased viscosity of the blood and stickiness of the platelets which are blood elements responsible for clotting.

Many heart specialists recommend that for those with coronary artery disease and for those with uncontrolled blood pressure at rest or with exercise, adjusting the time of exercise to later in the afternoon or evening may be safer. For those who really insists to exercise early in the morning, the heart specialists in the study suggest, taking one’s medicines for the heart and blood pressure 30 minutes to one hour before exercising may provide some protection to prevent the dreaded complications.