Living With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Habits to Manage Symptoms

In general, healthy habits may play a role in supporting your overall well-being. Staying active, getting enough sleep, and feeling nourished may improve your mood and energy. If you have a chronic condition like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), taking care of yourself may help lessen the impact of symptoms.

Beyond that, certain lifestyle changes may actually be a critical part of your treatment. Being mindful of your habits may help reduce your risk of HCM complications, such as sudden cardiac death.

Is it safe to exercise with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Regular physical activity has many health benefits, especially for heart health. It may help by:

• Lowering blood pressure

• Improving cholesterol levels

• Improving your blood circulation

• Reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke

However, experts typically recommend avoiding intense exercise and competitive sports if you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This may put too much strain on the heart, leading to shortness of breath, dizziness, or even sudden cardiac arrest.

Your doctor and cardiologist can help you find the right amount of exercise so you can get the health benefits without the risks. They may recommend gentle exercise, such as walking or yoga.

What are recommended lifestyle changes to manage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Other important habits to stick to when you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include:

• Staying hydrated: Dehydration may trigger HCM symptoms and worsen the condition.

• Eating a nutritious diet: A heart-healthy diet may lower your risk of other cardiovascular issues, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 

• Maintaining a healthy weight: Living with extra weight may require the heart to work harder. This may worsen HCM symptoms.

• Getting enough sleep: Not getting enough sleep at night may increase your risk of high blood pressure, according to the CDC.

• Managing stress: Being stressed or anxious may affect hormones, inflammation, and metabolism. It may also influence you to engage in habits that may affect the heart, such as overeating, skipping medications, or using substances. 

• Not smoking: Smoking cigarettes contaminates your blood and damages your blood vessels and heart muscles. It may cause high blood pressure, which would make the heart work harder to pump blood.

How can I get support for heart-healthy lifestyle changes?

Making changes to your everyday habits can be challenging. You might also feel confused about how to eat a healthy diet, for example. It may also be a struggle to quit smoking or cut back on alcohol.

Your doctor and cardiologist are a great place to start. They know what’s recommended based on your health history, but they can also refer you to other experts. For example, it may help to meet with a registered dietitian who is familiar with heart disease. They can teach you how to build a heart-healthy diet based on your culture, preferences, and budget.

In other words, you don’t need to do it alone. Your care team is there for a reason, and they’re eager to help you feel your best.