system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
If one of the goals of exercise is to get the heart rate elevated, do things like anxiety or low BP help work the heart out?

I've been told to set a HR when one exercises and try to keep it above that point to maximize the workout.
I wonder: is there a difference, in terms of improving cardiac function, between running vs. anxiety, sitting in a hot shower, HR medications, etc?
gpt
Exercise produces an accelerated heart rate since the body is working harder to respond to physical stressors. While this does stress the heart, it can help reduce resting blood pressure and heart rate since it trains the heart to be more efficient.

Anxiety, chronic tachycardia, and hypotension-induced tachycardia are the heart working hard *at rest*. This is the opposite of the effect that exercise has on the heart.