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Why Is Snow Shoveling Risky For Your Heart?
Snow Shoveling (Credit: Canva)
SummaryCold weather constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder to circulate blood. This makes snow shovelling extremely risky for your heart.
Shovelling snow may seem like a routine winter task, but for many, it poses significant health risks, particularly for the heart. The cold temperatures combined with physical exertion can strain the cardiovascular system, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks. Here's what you need to know to stay safe this winter.
Why Snow Shoveling Is Risky?
Cold weather constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder to circulate blood. The physical demands of shovelling—lifting heavy snow and throwing it aside—compound this stress. Unlike leg-focused exercises, shovelling relies heavily on arm muscles, which places a greater burden on the heart.The research underscores these risks. A study by the American Heart Association linked heavy snowfall (7–8 inches) to a 16% increase in heart attack hospitalizations among men and a 34% rise in fatal heart attacks. Alarmingly, the heart rate can spike to 85% of its maximum within just two minutes of shovelling, mimicking the intensity of vigorous aerobic exercise.
You can follow these tips to protect your heart
While snow removal is unavoidable for many, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of a heart attack:
- Time it wisely: Avoid shovelling immediately after eating or smoking, as these activities can elevate blood pressure.
- Pace yourself: Divide the task into smaller segments, taking frequent breaks to avoid prolonged exertion.
- Push, don’t lift: Pushing snow is less strenuous than lifting it. If lifting is necessary, use a smaller shovel and avoid overfilling it.
- Shovel light snow: Clear snow when it’s fresh and powdery, rather than after it has become heavy and compacted.
- Stay warm, but not overheated: Dress in layers and adjust as needed to prevent overheating.
- Shovel later in the day: If possible, wait for warmer temperatures before starting.
- For those with existing cardiovascular concerns, consulting a doctor before winter sets in is prudent. A stress test can help gauge heart health, and cardiac rehabilitation programs may improve fitness levels to reduce risk.
Besides affecting your heart, snow shovelling can also lead to brain stroke. There are multiple researches that indicate that winter months increase the risk of stroke.
Primarily, colder weather causes blood vessels to constrict because of an increase in vasoconstrictors like noradrenaline. This raises the blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke.
Winter or colder weathers also increase the likelihood of platelet aggregation and tilts the balance of clotting and clot lysis, making it easier to clot. A blockage in a blood vessel to the brain caused by blood clots is one of the main causes of stroke.
Humidity is also known to play a major role in an increased stroke risk. High humidity in the atmosphere can cause some people to become dehydrated, increasing the risk of blood clot formation. As humidity rises, so does the stroke risk, with a two per cent increase for every five-degree rise in dew point.
Lack of sunlight exposure and a sedentary lifestyle can both increase the risk of stroke. Sunlight is the main source of Vitamin D, which is pivotal to the health of blood vessels. Meanwhile, a lack of physical activity can hamper the regular circulation of blood.
Cold weather also increases the risk of serious systemic infections in the elderly, increasing susceptibility to brain stroke.
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