Atrial fibrillation, often called AFib, is a heart condition characterized by heart arrhythmia. This occurs when the heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or in an irregular rhythm. People with AFib may be hesitant to exercise due to fear of how exercise will affect their hearts. Symptoms of AFib, like fatigue and shortness of breath, can also make exercising hard. Luckily, exercising with AFib can be safe. It’s also been shown to strengthen the heart and reduce the risk of cardiac events like heart failure, if done in the right way.

“I have found that exercise does indeed help me,” said one MyHeartDiseaseTeam member with AFib. “I take a Silver Sneakers exercise class that has cardio, strength training, and resistance as part of the program. Most are chair exercises and a few standing exercises. It has helped me a lot.”

Some people may think of themselves as having nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. But heart specialists have removed this distinction, as it was poorly understood and defined. Nonvalvular AFib is an older term that’s not used much anymore. Today, almost all AFib is nonvalvular.

Before starting any exercise routine or program, it’s best to consult with your cardiologist. While exercising with AFib can be safe, you should keep some precautions and tips in mind.

1. Develop an Exercise Plan To Improve Your Quality of Life

Exercising with atrial fibrillation benefits your heart, as well as your physical and mental health. People with AFib who exercise experience fewer episodes of AFib, fewer hospital visits, and a better quality of life compared to people with AFib who don’t exercise.

Exercising with AFib also provides other benefits:

• Stress management — Stress can make AFib symptoms worse. Exercising helps to reduce stress and stress-related AFib symptoms and episodes.
• Increasing cardiovascular capacity — Exercise makes heart and blood vessels more efficient in oxygen delivery, which helps to prevent other heart diseases or strokes in people with AFib.
• Weight loss — Weight loss or weight management may help to reduce symptoms of AFib. This is especially true for people with higher body mass index (BMI).
• Sleep improvement — Getting enough rest is key for overall health.

For adults living with AFib, the American Heart Association recommends 210 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise weekly. But the amount of physical activity you can accomplish will depend on your AFib symptoms and how well you’re feeling.

“I always exercise, five minutes, 10 minutes. It doesn’t matter. Just do some cardiovascular exercise,” wrote one member of MyHeartDiseaseTeam.

2. Check With Your Doctor To Make Sure Exercise Is Safe for You

Although the benefits may outweigh the risks, it’s important to be aware of the risks of exercising with AFib. A quick burst of strenuous or high-impact exercise may trigger an AFib episode in some people, as it increases the heart rate. Vigorous exercise can also produce high levels of stress hormones like adrenaline. This can sometimes worsen heart arrhythmia in people with AFib. Ask your doctor what level of exercise is safe for you.

3. Choose Low-Impact Activities To Minimize Risk

Cardiologists recommend that people with AFib try low-impact sports due to heart and overall health risks. Strenuous or high-impact exercises aren’t usually advised for all people with AFib. Intense levels of exercise are associated with increased symptoms of AFib for some people.

Cardiologists recommend that people with AFib try low-impact sports due to heart and overall health risks.

The types of exercises most commonly recommended for people with AFib include low-impact aerobic exercises like:

• Walking
• Light jogging
• Swimming
• Light strength training
• Yoga

Certain AFib symptoms — like fatigue — might make it difficult to exercise. Even if you can do just a short amount of low-impact exercise, like walking for 15 minutes every day, you’ll get some health benefits.

“Finding the right exercise is difficult, but the experience at an adaptive pace is rewarding,” wrote one MyHeartDiseaseTeam member.

“Finding the right exercise is difficult, but the experience at an adaptive pace is rewarding.”
— A MyHeartDiseaseTeam member

4. Avoid Contact Sports and Anything That Stresses the Heart

People with AFib who take blood thinners should avoid sports with a high chance of injuries, like mountain biking, skiing, or contact sports. Many people with AFib take anticoagulants, medications to prevent blood clots. These drugs increase the risk of bruising and bleeding in the case of an exercise-related accident. For this reason, it’s important to use safety equipment, such as helmets when bicycling.

Intense weight lifting is another type of exercise that’s not usually recommended for people with AFib. Lifting heavy weights puts stress on the heart, which can be harmful to those with a heart condition like AFib. Strength training with light hand weights or resistance bands can be a better option.

5. Pay Attention to Your Heart Rate

Standard heart rate targets might not be appropriate guidelines for people living with AFib. This is because certain AFib medications, like beta-blockers, slow down your heart rate. Therefore, your heart rate may not get as high as the average person’s while exercising. Standard guidelines, such as those printed on cardio machines, may not be accurate for you.

You may need to modify your targeted heart rate to make sure your heart doesn’t beat too fast or out of control. Heart medications affect everyone slightly differently, so consult your healthcare team about using your heart rate to measure intensity. Your cardiology specialists can help you set a target heart rate that’s right for you by using an exercise stress test. To measure your heart rate while exercising, healthcare experts recommend using a chest strap or a watch-like fitness tracker.

The type of AFib you have is also important when considering exercise options. If you have paroxysmal AFib, when the heart beats irregularly only now and then (called AFib episodes), low and moderate intensity exercise are generally recommended, while higher intensity exercise might provoke an AFib episode. However, that does not mean that all types of high intensity exercise must be avoided in all cases. People differ in their AFib occurrence in physical activity, so your doctor will share specific exercise recommendations with you.

With persistent AFib, which causes an irregular heartbeat all of the time, general recommendations are similar. It’s OK to perform low to moderate exercise whenever you’re feeling well enough. Vigorous exercise may provoke a long-lasting quick pulse in some people, but that does not mean it’s strictly forbidden to everyone with persistent AFib. Before starting any exercise program, consult your doctor.

6. Listen to Your Body

When exercising with AFib, it’s important to listen to your body. Always stop if you have lightheadedness or other heart-related symptoms.

Stop and call your physician if you’re exhausted or having troubling symptoms. These may include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, an unusually rapid heart rate, or any other symptoms that feel different than usual.

7. Start Slowly

Your heart rhythm may speed up or slow down in an unpredictable way. For that reason, it’s important to warm up before exercising and cool down afterward. Increasing and decreasing movement gradually will help regulate your breathing rate. If you’re new to physical activity, start slowly and work your way up to your exercise goals.

If you’re new to physical activity, start slowly and work your way up to your exercise goals.

8. Stay Hydrated and Drink Fluids While You Exercise

Hydration is important for everyone, but it is even more important for people with heart rhythm disorders. Dehydration is a common trigger for AFib, so it’s critical to make sure you’re drinking enough fluids.

If you’re on fluid restriction, consult your physician before you start any kind of exercise.

9. Consider a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

Depending on your specific diagnosis, cardiac rehabilitation may be recommended to treat symptoms of AFib. Cardiac rehabilitation combines physical activity, education, counseling, and support to help people regain cardiovascular function. It’s commonly used after serious cardiovascular events like heart attacks or surgeries. Some programs are covered by insurance.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs have been shown to reduce AFib symptoms, lower risk of cardiac events, and improve quality of life for people living with AFib. They may also reduce the risk of heart failure or another serious heart event. Talk to your doctor to see if you’re eligible for a cardiac rehabilitation program.

10. Bring a Friend

When trying to increase your physical activity with AFib, joining a support group and talking about your experiences may be helpful. Finding a friend to exercise with can also make it more fun and more likely that you’ll stick with regular workouts.

Join the Conversation

On MyHeartDiseaseTeam, people come together to share experiences with heart disease, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Do you exercise with AFib? Let others know in the comments below.