The goal for most people with heart failure is to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day on most days of the week. The key here is to accumulate at least 30 minutes, meaning you do not have to be active for 30 continuous minutes to benefit from exercise. For example, you can be active for three 10-minute blocks at minimum.

As you are getting more active, it is important to spend a few minutes warming up and cooling down before and after each activity session to avoid injuring yourself and stressing your heart. Warming up helps your body and your heart adjust to the increased demands of activity. If you are going to start a more vigorous exercise program to become more physically fit, or if you have more symptoms with activity, be sure to talk to your doctor or nurse. They may want you to do some type of exercise test before you start such a program.