Do you always find that your hands and feet are cold and you lose feeling in your fingers and toes? It’s likely that you probably have poor circulation. This is a common problem but it’s one that often gets ignored because people don’t realize how serious it can be. They assume that it just causes a bit of discomfort but, over time, it could be damaging your health as well. Your blood is responsible for carrying oxygen around the body, so poor circulation means that certain areas may be deprived of oxygen. This leads to serious issues like cognitive decline, for example.
If you have poor circulation and you speak to your doctor about it, they will be able to prescribe some medication to deal with it. There are also a lot of supplements that have been shown to boost circulation. However, a lot of people don’t want to take medication unless they absolutely have to and it’s always better to tackle problems with natural methods where possible. The good news is, there are some simple lifestyle changes you can make to naturally boost your circulation, prevent discomfort, and reduce your chances of serious health issues in the future. Here are some easy things you can do every day to improve your circulation.
Drink More Water
It seems like every time you look for advice about a health issue, the answer is always to drink more water. There’s a reason for that because water is so important in most bodily functions, including circulation. Our blood is largely made up of water and when we are dehydrated, it makes it harder for the heart to pump it around the body because it’s much thicker. Maintaining your water consumption will thin out the blood and drastically improve your circulation. It also keeps your overall health in check and prevents a range of health issues, so make sure you drink enough!
If you struggle to remember to drink water, you should set reminders on your phone throughout the day. You can also get water bottles with times of the day marked on the side, so you know how much you should be drinking and when. If you still can’t keep up with it, you could consider investing in a smart water bottle that connects to your phone and measures how much you drink.
Drink Green Tea
Green tea is a great addition to your daily routine because it has a lot of health benefits. People drink it regularly because it helps to fight the signs of aging, it can improve digestion, and it can even help you lose weight. It has also been shown to improve circulation too. Drinking green tea helps to widen the blood vessels, meaning that blood can travel around the body much easier and there is less pressure on your heart. If you already drink a lot of coffee or tea, consider switching it for green tea instead. Ideally, you should try to drink 2-3 cups each day for the best effects.
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Exercise
Exercise is another one of those things that people always recommend because it helps boost your overall health. It’s also one of the best natural ways to deal with poor circulation. If you don’t have a strong, healthy heart, your blood pressure will be low and you will suffer from poor circulation. Diet has a big role to play in heart health, but the best way to get the blood flowing and strengthen your heart is to engage in regular exercise. Ideally, you should be trying to do some form of exercise every single day. That doesn’t mean you need to hit the gym for hours every day, but you should do some kind of activity. Walking, for example, is great for your heart so even making an effort to walk instead of driving where possible will make a difference. Try to do at least 3 sessions of vigorous exercise each week and then move around as much as possible every day.
Of all of the things on this list, this is one of the things that people struggle to keep up with on a daily basis. Finding the time to exercise can be tough, especially if you have a family to take care of. Check out these tips for parents that are having a hard time fitting exercise into their routine. The most important thing to remember is that something is better than nothing, so even if you can only fit a short walk in, it’s still worth doing.
Wear Magnetic Bracelets
Magnetic therapy is becoming very popular because it has been shown to help with a lot of health issues. They are primarily used by arthritis sufferers and you can find magnetic bracelets for arthritis pain relief which will also help you with your circulation problems. Your blood has a lot of iron in it, so a magnetic bracelet will draw more blood towards your hands, making it a great solution for people that often get poor circulation in their hands. This increased blood flow around the body will help to reduce inflammation, which is why they are so effective for people with arthritis in their hands. There are a number of other benefits of wearing magnetic bracelets, including better sleep and improved mood, so they are a worthwhile investment whether you have poor circulation or not. You can easily wear them every day and you should notice a big difference.
Meditate
People often talk about the link between stress and high blood pressure, but stress can cause poor circulation too. When you are stressed, it has wide reaching effects on your physical health, including circulation issues. Finding ways to reduce stress is crucial if you want to manage your circulation and there are all sorts of ways to do that. Working out where the stress is coming from and dealing with the root cause will help. However, there will always be stressors in life, the important thing is that you know how to handle those situations without letting stress get the better of you, which is where meditation comes in.
Meditation is excellent for reducing stress and anxiety and it teaches you how to be more present instead of constantly worrying about whatever is stressing you out. People often find meditation daunting but it’s easy to get started and you only need 5 minutes a day. There are some great Youtube tutorials and guided meditation videos that you can follow along to. Taking the time to do it in the morning or before bed every day will make a massive difference to your stress levels and help you get your circulation back to normal. Regular meditation will also help you stay on top of your mental health and improve your general outlook on life.
Stretch Your Muscles
Many people with poor circulation spend all day sitting in the same position at work. When you are in a static position for long periods, your heart rate is always low and you never get the blood pumping. The good news is, you can easily get around this with some simple stretches. Regular stretching helps to engage your muscles and draw more blood towards them. Evidence suggests that stretches also encourage the body to release chemicals that widen the blood vessels, so it’s easier for blood to move around your body. Doing a few stretches when you wake up or at the end of the day can do wonders for your circulation. It will stop you from getting tight muscles and prevent pain too. Try these simple stretches on a daily basis if you are concerned about your circulation.
Dry Brush Your Skin
Dry brushing is a great technique with a lot of benefits, including improved circulation, so you should make it part of your daily routine. Take a dry brush and then brush in circles, starting at your feet and moving up your legs and over the rest of your body. When you do this, you strip away dead skin cells and give you a youthful glow. You are also stimulating the skin and encouraging blood flow throughout the body, so your circulation will be greatly improved. This is a very simple thing you can do every morning after taking a shower and it will make such a difference.
Poor circulation is a problem that should never be ignored because it can lead to a lot of health problems in the future and you will be forced to treat it with medication if it gets out of control. But it doesn’t have to be that way because your circulation can be improved with a lot of simple changes. If you make these adjustments to your daily routine and keep up with them long term, you can drastically improve your circulation problems. Just remember that if the problem persists or starts to get worse, you should always seek the advice of a doctor.
Great tips I needed this!
It’s amazing
This is really helpful!
I’ve always had poor circulation, when its winter my hands actually look purple and blue . I always forget to drink enough water . Exercise is great yes but I’m very lazy !! Haha
Lots of things to try, thank you. Setting alarms as a reminder to drink some water is a great idea!
Thank you for sharing some great tips. Must get round to trying them.
Brilliant tips!
I find all of these tips excellent for improving mental health too.
Really interesting point about the magnetic bracelet my granny used to wear one for her arthritis.
Thank you for sharing 🙂