Our circulatory system works best when we're upright and moving. When we spend many hours lying down, blood pools in the legs, lower volumes of blood are pumped through the body even though the heart works harder, oxygen uptake is reduced, and the risk of blood clots is increased, particularly in the legs and lungs.
Sitting for prolonged hours can lead to poor circulation throughout the body. Once circulation slows down due to sitting, your blood remains in the feet and legs, ultimately reducing blood flow.
Yes, really. Because your body needs a constant flow of blood circulation, slouching or sitting incorrectly (poor posture) can really harm the flow of blood – it needs to flow upwards to return to the heart, which then pumps it around the body again to help regulate everything.
The best way to enhance the blood flow in your limbs is to sit in a position that does not hamper the regular blood flow in your legs. For example, you can sit with your legs spaced apart and touch the floor with your feet. You can also lift your legs slightly from the floor at times to improve circulation.
Raise your toes: Keep your heels on the ground and lift your toes. This helps blood circulation to the feet. While it works well in a seated position, it works best if you can stand.
But circulation can get worse for a number of reasons, including conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), or weight gain and age. When your circulation isn't working the way it should, some parts of your body may not get the nutrients they need. Varicose veins.
Leg fidgeting is a simple light-intensity physical activity that enhances limb blood flow and can be incorporated during prolonged sitting to improve postprandial glycemic control in people with obesity.
Atherosclerosis: Plaque (which contains fat and cholesterol) piles up inside your arteries, limiting blood flow. Diabetes: Having too much glucose in your blood can harm your blood vessels. Deep vein thrombosis: Your body makes a blood clot in your leg, which reduces blood flow.
Poor circulation can cause pain in the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Cold hands and feet may ache or throb, especially as they start to warm and blood flow returns. Also, when the blood does not circulate correctly, oxygen and nutrients cannot reach tissues effectively, resulting in stiffness and cramping.
The best activity to improve circulation is aerobic exercise – the kind that makes you mildly out of breath. This includes jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, rowing, boxing, team sports, aerobic or cardio classes, or brisk walking.
Sitting for long periods of time can cause poor circulation. This excessive pressure in the veins of the lower extremities can also increase blood pooling in the legs, which can contribute to the development of vein disease. As vein problems increase, it can lead to more severe leg conditions over time.
If a person is concerned about poor blood flow, they may want to avoid foods that are processed, or high in sugar, fats, or salt.
Your extremities can display tingling or numbness, swelling, and heaviness. Poor circulation can even lead to gangrene of the extremities, which is the death of body tissue, which can potentially lead to amputation in severe cases. When blood isn't flowing properly, your extremities will fluctuate in temperature.
Do aerobic or cardio exercises to get your blood moving and your heart rate up. Wear compression stockings to encourage the blood to move from your legs back up to your heart. Eat a healthy diet to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. This can also help reduce plaque buildup in your arteries and improve blood flow.
Pomegranate Juice
This juice also has nutrients, including vitamin C, which strengthens blood vessels and can improve blood flow in that way. Pomegranate juice also has nitrate, which can widen blood vessels and facilitate blood flow.
Packed with potassium, bananas can help improve blood flow by lowering blood pressure. Too much sodium in your diet can cause high blood pressure, but potassium helps the kidneys remove extra sodium from your body, which then passes through your urine. This helps relax blood vessels and enable blood flow.