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Heart failure and exercise: Adjust for the weather
It is important you don’t exert yourself in hot and humid or cold and windy weather. If it feels too hot or too cold for your usual outdoor exercise, go indoors. Walk inside an air-conditioned or heated shopping mall or gym.
Outdoor summer weather advice:
- Dress in light-colored, lightweight fabrics.
- Wear a hat and sunscreen.
- Avoid exercising outdoors if the temperature and the humidity percentage are more than 160. For example, a temperature of 75 F plus humidity of 80 percent equals 155. In this case, exercise outdoors would be OK. If the temperature is 85 F and the humidity is 87 percent (which equals 172), exercise indoors.
Outdoor winter weather advice:
- Dress in layers.
- Wear a scarf or mask over your nose and mouth. Cold air narrows your blood vessels. The scarf or mask will warm the air before you breathe it.
- Avoid exercising outdoors if the wind chill factor is below zero. The more below zero the wind chill factor, the more difficult you may find it to take a deep breath.
Related Links
Heart failure: Questions and answers
Cardiovascular disease specialists
Source: Allina Patient Education, Helping Your Heart, third edition, cvs-ahc-90648
First published: 10/04/2002
Last updated: 05/01/2005
Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts