Before you start reading this article, here is a quick checklist to check your heart health. Tick off each check as you complete it. This tool is educational and does not diagnose heart disease.
- Resting heart rate measured
- Blood pressure checked
- Pulse rhythm felt
- Recovery after light activity was observed
- Ankle swelling checked
- Weight monitored
Your heart is always working, pumping blood throughout your body and delivering oxygen to your organs. While regular checkups and annual exams are essential, there are many methods of heart health checking that you can do at home.
Although these methods cannot provide an accurate diagnosis of heart disease, they are still important because they indicate whether further investigation is needed. While many cardiovascular diseases become chronic, in the case of some conditions, for instance, hypertension or arrhythmia, it may be too late for treatment due to the absence of any symptoms.
Why Should You Do Frequent Heart Check-Ups At Home?
Heart disease remains among the leading causes of death worldwide. The good news, however, is that certain risk factors can be detected and controlled early, preventing any unfortunate outcomes.
Regular monitoring at home can help identify:
- Hypertension
- Arrhythmia
- Inadequate blood circulation
- Fluid retention
- Low stamina
- Worsening signs
However, this type of monitoring should be used to gain insight into how your body is functioning, not to replace health care treatment when needed.
1. Measuring Your Heart Rate
One of the easiest ways to perform a simple heart health check at home is to measure your resting heart rate.
Doing it is quite simple. Just sit quietly for at least five minutes. This allows your heart to rest and settle if it is rapid. Now, place two fingers on your wrist on the side of your neck. Now count your pulse for 30 seconds and multiply by two, or count for a full minute.
Your resting heart rate reflects the efficiency with which your heart pumps blood. For most adults, this should be about 60 to 100 beats per minute. People who exercise regularly often have a lower resting heart rate.
Consistently elevated heart rate is an indicator of:
- Stress
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Thyroid-related disorders
- Other underlying heart conditions
2. Check Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure doesn’t typically have symptoms, which is why it’s sometimes called ‘the silent killer’. You’ll need a fully validated automatic upper-arm blood pressure monitor.
For best results:
- Take 5 minutes of quiet rest before taking your reading.
- Ensure you are sitting down, with your feet flat on the floor.
- Make sure your arm is rested and is at heart level.
- Do not consume caffeine, smoke or take vigorous exercise within 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure.
High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder and raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, and other diseases.
While one reading might be higher than you would like, it doesn’t mean you’ll have high blood pressure. You can and should get checked by a doctor if your readings remain above 140/90 mmHg.
3. Listen to Your Heartbeat's Rhythm
When you are keeping track of your heart rate, you should pay attention to its speed and predictability; while a minor tendency toward irregularities is not worrisome, continuous irregular heartbeats may suggest a serious condition like atrial fibrillation or something similar.
Therefore, one should always value the information their heart provides through such indicators or symptoms, as one may otherwise suffer a stroke by ignoring irregular heartbeats.
4. How Your Body Recovers from a Walk
After a bit of exercise, how quickly your heart rate returns to normal can tell you a lot about your heart health. Try walking briskly for five minutes or taking the stairs a couple of times. Then, right after, check your pulse, and check it again after a minute of rest.
A healthy heart generally slows down relatively quickly once you stop moving. If your heart takes a while to recover, it could suggest your cardiovascular fitness is not as good, or there might be other health factors at play (age, meds, and fitness levels all play a role, of course).
5. Check Your Ankles and Feet for Swelling
When your heart isn't pumping blood as effectively as it should be, fluid can build up, and you might see it in your ankles and feet.
- Do your ankles look puffy?
- Do your shoes feel tight by the end of the day?
You can even try pressing your thumb firmly against your shin or ankle for a few seconds. If the indentation stays after you remove your thumb, it might mean you're retaining fluid. Swelling can have many causes, like standing for long periods, certain medications, or kidney issues, so if it's persistent or worsening, see your doctor.
6. Step on the Scale Regularly
Here's another easy way to monitor your heart at home: weigh yourself daily! It's best to do it at the same time each morning, wearing the same type of clothes and using the same scale. A sudden spike in weight of a pound or two can be fluid, not fat, especially if you have heart failure.
Rapid weight gain in this situation warrants a call to your doctor, as it can indicate worsening fluid buildup. Long-term trends in your weight can also give you clues about your overall cardiovascular health.
7. Listen to Your Breathing
Your breathing is a valuable indicator of how well your heart is functioning. Ask yourself if you're getting out of breath unusually easily on the stairs, if walking has become a chore lately, if you wake up gasping for air in the middle of the night, or if you need multiple pillows to breathe comfortably while you sleep.
While breathing problems often relate to the lungs, they can also be a sign that your heart is struggling to keep up. If you experience new or worsening shortness of breath, it's important to get it checked out.
8. Pay Attention to Chest Discomfort
Chest pain that signals heart trouble isn't always the crushing agony depicted in the movies. It can be more subtle – a sense of pressure, tightness, heaviness, burning, or squeezing. This discomfort may even radiate to your jaw, neck, back, shoulder, or arm.
Of course, many other things can cause chest pain, like acid reflux or a strained muscle. But if you experience sudden, severe, or persistent chest pain – especially if it comes with sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, or pain extending to your arm or jaw – don't hesitate to seek emergency medical help immediately.
9. Watch for Unexplained Fatigue
It might not seem like an obvious sign of heart disease, but constant, overwhelming fatigue can be an early symptom. Do you find yourself exhausted by everyday activities, or has your energy tanked significantly without any clear reason? If even mild exertion leaves you feeling drained, it could be worth investigating.
When your heart isn't pumping blood as efficiently, your muscles and organs may not get enough oxygen-rich blood, leading to that drained feeling. While fatigue alone isn't conclusive, persistent, unexplainable tiredness should be taken seriously.
10. Keep a Heart Health Journal
This is perhaps the most powerful at-home tool you have. Recording things like your blood pressure, resting heart rate, weight, exercise routines, any symptoms you experience, and even your sleep quality can paint a much clearer picture for your healthcare provider than isolated readings. Doctors often look for trends over time, and a journal helps you track those gradual changes that might otherwise slip under your radar.
When Do You Need To See A Doctor?
Even though home checks are helpful, they are not a substitute for medical investigations.
Consult a doctor if you see:
- Elevated blood pressure readings
- Irregular heart beat that persists for long
- Recurrent episodes of dizziness
- Moving into shortness of breath lately
- Rapid increase in body weight
- Swollen feet
- Chest ache
- Declining ability to undertake activities
If you feel any indication of a heart attack or stroke, like unbearable pain in the chest, weakness in one side of the body, problems with speech, or loss of consciousness, call for medical assistance at once.
Conclusion
This simple heart check-up you can do at home will help you tune in to your cardiovascular system and be aware of changes before they get out of hand. Paying attention to your resting pulse, blood pressure, heart rhythm, respiration, weight, and stamina are informative indicator to share with your doctor.
