The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body.
The average adult heart weighs about 11 ounces (310 grams). The heart is located in the middle of the chest, slightly to the left. Your heartbeat can be affected by emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger and fear.
Here are ten fun facts about the heart:
1. The human heart beats approximately 100,000 times per day.
2. The record for the longest recorded human lifespan belongs to a French woman named Jeanne Calment who lived to be 122 years old!
3. A healthy human heart will beat an average of 60-80 times per minute.
4. During exercise, your heart rate can increase to 160-180 beats per minute.
5. Every day, your heart pumps enough blood to fill up an Olympic sized swimming pool!
6. Your blood vessels would stretch out over 60 thousand miles if laid end to end – that’s longer than 2 trips around the earth!
7. An unborn baby’s heart begins beating at just 21 days after conception.
8. February is American Heart Month – a time when awareness is raised about cardiovascular disease and promote ways to prevent it.
9. “I ♥ NY” isn’t just a slogan – studies have shown that people who live in cities with high levels of air pollution are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
10. You aren’t born with all of your heart cells – you continue to produce them throughout your life!
