How Lifestyle Relates to Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide, yet a large share of it is linked to factors people can influence. Everyday habits, what you eat, how much you move, whether you smoke, how you sleep, shape blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight, which in turn shape the health of the heart.

Life’s Essential 8

The American Heart Association groups the key measures for cardiovascular health into four behaviors and four health factors.

Health behaviors

1. Eat better
2. Be more active
3. Quit tobacco
4. Get healthy sleep

Health factors

1. Manage weight
2. Control cholesterol
3. Manage blood sugar
4. Manage blood pressure

Eat better

Heart-healthy eating patterns emphasize:

• vegetables and fruit;
• whole grains;
• beans, lentils, nuts and seeds;
• fish and lean poultry;
• low-fat or fat-free dairy;
• vegetable oils such as olive and canola oil.

They limit sodium, added sugars, saturated fat, processed meats and sugar-sweetened drinks. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute promotes the DASH eating plan, which was designed to help lower blood pressure.

Salt

The World Health Organization recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt a day, about a teaspoon, to help prevent high blood pressure. Much of the salt people eat is already in processed and restaurant foods, so checking labels matters.

Be more active

Adults are advised to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, along with muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days. Activity helps control weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Any amount is better than none, and it can be spread through the week.

Quit tobacco

Smoking damages blood vessels and greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Secondhand smoke is harmful too. Stopping reduces risk at any age. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about support and stop-smoking aids.

Get healthy sleep

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep is associated with higher risks of high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Keeping regular hours and limiting screens and caffeine late in the day can help. Loud snoring with daytime sleepiness should be discussed with a doctor, as it may indicate sleep apnea.

Manage weight

Excess weight makes the heart work harder and raises blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Even modest weight loss can improve these. A scale used consistently helps track progress; see our Digital Body Weight Scale.

Limit alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure. The CDC advises that adults who choose to drink do so in moderation: two drinks or fewer in a day for men and one drink or fewer in a day for women.

Manage stress

Long-term stress can contribute to high blood pressure and to habits that harm the heart, such as overeating, smoking and inactivity. Physical activity, relaxation techniques, social contact and enough sleep all help. Seek support if stress feels unmanageable.

Know your numbers

Lifestyle shows up in measurable results:

• Blood pressure: below 120/80 mm Hg is normal for adults.
• Cholesterol: checked by blood test.
• Blood sugar: checked by fasting glucose or A1C.
• Weight and waist size.

Regular checks reveal whether your habits are working. A home monitor, such as our Automatic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor, lets you follow blood pressure between appointments.

Take medicines as directed

If you have been prescribed medicine for blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes, take it as instructed. Lifestyle changes add to its effect. Do not stop medicines without talking to your doctor, even if your numbers improve.

Small steps that add up

• Add one extra serving of vegetables a day.
• Walk for ten minutes after meals.
• Swap sugary drinks for water.
• Cook at home more often and season with herbs and spices instead of salt.
• Set a regular bedtime.
• Take the stairs.

Changes made gradually are more likely to last.

What you cannot change

Age, family history, sex and ethnic background also affect risk. They make healthy habits and regular checkups more important, not less.

The bottom line

Heart health is built from ordinary daily choices: food, movement, sleep and avoiding tobacco, backed by knowing your numbers. Start with one change and build from there. Find tools for tracking in our heart and blood pressure department.

Sources

1. American Heart Association. Life’s Essential 8.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Heart Disease.
3. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Heart-Healthy Living.
4. World Health Organization. Hypertension.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview.