Are you fitting in at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of heart-pumping physical activity per week? If not, you’re not alone. Only about one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health. Being more active can help all people think, feel and sleep better and perform daily tasks more easily. And if you’re sedentary, sitting less is a great place to start.

For most adults, this means getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise like brisk walking, or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise like running each week, in addition to two weekly sessions of strength training.

But what is the impact of regular exercise on the heart, specifically? And how does all this effort translate to our overall health?

We know regular exercise strengthens muscles, but it also helps the heart do a better job of pumping blood throughout the body. Check out seven heart-healthy reasons why regular cardiovascular work belongs in your exercise plan:

1. Lower blood pressure. A healthy heart pushes out more blood with each beat, enabling it to function more efficiently. This decreases stress on the heart and surrounding arteries, potentially reducing blood pressure.
2. Improve blood flow. Regular cardio-based physical activity enables the heart to achieve improved blood flow in the small vessels around it, where blockages of fatty deposits can build over time.
3. Improve workout efficiency. As you begin a new workout routine that includes cardio activity, it may take a while for your body to adjust to the faster pace.
4. Lower cholesterol. Many studies show that exercise is linked to healthy improvements in cholesterol, such as increasing the amount of healthy HDL cholesterol and possibly lowering bad LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent.
5. Decrease risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Additionally, active people have 20 percent less chance of stroke. Regular exercise also helps keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range and, in turn, helps lower risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
6. Promote other heart-healthy habits. According to the American Heart Association, regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, make better nutrition choices, decrease stress and improve your mood.
7. Reduce the incidence of heart arrhythmia, like atrial fibrillation (AFib). A common heart rhythm problem, AFib comes with a five-fold increased risk of stroke caused by a blood clot.

Maintaining heart health is a lifelong commitment involving regular physical activity, routine medical investigations, and a mindful approach to exertion. Engaging in various types of physical activities, from aerobic exercises to strength training, help strengthen the heart and improve cardiovascular fitness. Simultaneously, routine check-ups and assessments play a vital role in detecting and managing heart-related issues.

Before you begin any new exercise plan, talk with your doctor about the best way to incorporate cardiovascular activity into your lifestyle. Not only can your doctor help establish a plan that safely and gradually increases your capacity for cardiovascular exercise, but he or she can also establish baselines for your blood pressure, resting heart rate and cholesterol that will allow you to track your success.