How does your heart work?

Your heart is a very strong muscle and plays an important part in being healthy. It keeps all the blood in your circulatory system flowing.

• Your heart first pumps blood to your lungs. Here, the blood picks up oxygen from the air that you have breathed in.
• The blood (carrying oxygen) then travels back to your heart.
• The heart gives the blood a second push. This time, it's sent all around the body to the various organs and tissues.
• The blood travels back to the heart and it all begins again.