Plan your day
• To regain strength in your muscles, you need to get up and move around. Being active also helps to keep your spirits up.
• Pace yourself. Doing too much may not hurt your heart, but it can make you tire more easily.

Tips for planning your day
• Get dressed each morning. You will feel more like doing things if you are wearing comfortable daytime clothes. Getting dressed can also keep you from feeling sad or depressed.
• Coordinate your activities. Plan your day to keep from getting too tired. Coordinate your activities so that you do not have to climb stairs more than one or two times a day.
• Allow for extra time. Allow yourself plenty of time for each activity and sit down to do things whenever you can. Remember, you may not be able to do things quickly. If you are tired, listen to your body and stop and rest. Let yourself to put off finishing what you were doing until later, when you are rested.
• Plan rest periods each day. Routine activities such as eating, showering, or brushing your hair may take a lot of energy, especially in the first two weeks after your surgery. During this time, plan 20 to 30 minute rest periods (not naps) several times a day. If you nap frequently during the day, you may not sleep well at night.
• See friends, have visitors, be mindful. Visitors can brighten your day, but be sure to limit the number of visitors and how long they stay. When you first return home, seeing visitors for more than a few minutes may tire you.

You may be overdoing it if you need to rest for more than one hour after each activity. If this happens, try to do a little less the next day.

Guidelines for Physical Activity

Activity Guideline Summary
What Activity is Safe for Me?
Right after surgery
• Sitting
• Hygiene and grooming while standing at sink
• Showering with warm water (in chair if recommended)
• Shaving (while sitting)
• Light meal preparation
• Tabletop games, sewing, playing cards, TV, reading
• Walking up one flight of stairs at a slow pace

1 to 2 weeks after surgery
• Light recreation while sitting: playing piano, light crafts, knitting, embroidery
• Light cleaning at slow pace: dusting, wiping counter, picking up
• Short errand of about 30 minutes with someone else driving
• Computer work, conference calls, light office work , washing dishes (light load)
• Slowly walking uphill

3 to 4 weeks after surgery
• 1-2 light loads of laundry in automatic machines, folding clothes
• Light ironing (standing)
• Making beds
• Light garden work: riding lawn mower, standing to water lawn or flowers
• Walking at moderate pace on a level surface up to 30 minutes

4 to 6 weeks after surgery
• Driving locally if your doctor approves of your doing so
• Walking uphill slowly
• Using hand tools
• Cooking meals
• Enjoying some recreational activities: shuffle-board, machine sewing, playing musical instruments, billiards, golf putting
• Sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, scrubbing (kneeling)

6 to 8 weeks after surgery
• Swimming or bicycling at a slow pace
• Mowing with push mower
• Using a washing machine to do a normal laundry load and hanging laundry on line to dry
• Carrying a full bag of groceries
• Doing light carpentry, painting furniture
• Light digging with hand spade
• Doing some vocational tasks such as light welding, machine assembly, brick laying, or janitorial work
• Playing golf at a slow to moderate pace
• Taking out trash on wheeled cart
• Doing light auto repairs (oil change, spark plugs, pump tire)

Be sure to check with your heart doctor before engaging in any activity that requires pushing, twisting, straining or over-extending of your arms.