Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 39 minutes ago
When you have heart failure, staying active is a critical part of caring for yourself and staying well. While physical activity and exercise have their benefits when living with heart failure, it’s especially important to pay attention to how you’re feeling both before and during exercise.
When you introduce new physical activity into your life with heart failure, whether it’s aerobic activity, strength training, balance and flexibility, or sex and intimacy, it’s important to check-in with your health care provider first. You can ask your health care provider to refer you to a cardiac rehab program.
Additional Resources
General physical activity support and heart failure-specific sexual activity information can be accessed through HealthLinkBC.
- Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, qualified exercise professionals are available to speak to (free of charge) by calling 8-1-1.
You can also leave a message outside of these hours or email a qualified exercise professional at healthlinkbc.ca/find-care/healthlink-bc-8-1-1-services/email-qualified-exercise-professional
- HealthLink BC heart failure and sexual activity information: healthlinkbc.ca/healthwise/heart-failure-and-sexual-activity#:~:text=Most%20people%20with%20heart%20failure,give%20you%20support%20and%20advice.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
1:00 Benefits of staying active
1:27 Staying active safely with heart failure
2:44 Heart failure-friendly exercise plan
3:33 The three main types of physical activity
4:00 Aerobic activity
5:22 Strength training
6:48 Sex and intimacy with heart failure
8:16 George's experience with physical activity
When you have heart failure, staying active is a critical part of caring for yourself and staying well. While physical activity and exercise have their benefits when living with heart failure, it’s especially important to pay attention to how you’re feeling both before and during exercise.
When you introduce new physical activity into your life with heart failure, whether it’s aerobic activity, strength training, balance and flexibility, or sex and intimacy, it’s important to check-in with your health care provider first. You can ask your health care provider to refer you to a cardiac rehab program.
Additional Resources
General physical activity support and heart failure-specific sexual activity information can be accessed through HealthLinkBC.
- Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, qualified exercise professionals are available to speak to (free of charge) by calling 8-1-1.
You can also leave a message outside of these hours or email a qualified exercise professional at healthlinkbc.ca/find-care/healthlink-bc-8-1-1-services/email-qualified-exercise-professional
- HealthLink BC heart failure and sexual activity information: healthlinkbc.ca/healthwise/heart-failure-and-sexual-activity#:~:text=Most%20people%20with%20heart%20failure,give%20you%20support%20and%20advice.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
1:00 Benefits of staying active
1:27 Staying active safely with heart failure
2:44 Heart failure-friendly exercise plan
3:33 The three main types of physical activity
4:00 Aerobic activity
5:22 Strength training
6:48 Sex and intimacy with heart failure
8:16 George's experience with physical activity
