5 Things That Impact Heart Health

To maintain a healthy heart, individuals should focus on diet and exercise, quit smoking and limit alcohol, manage stress, get enough sleep, and schedule regular medical checkups. | Image Credit: udra11 - stock.adobe.com

February celebrates American Heart Month to raise awareness of heart health, as heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US for men, women, and most racial and ethnic groups.¹ Heart disease caused 702,880 deaths in 2022, accounting for 1 in every 5 deaths.²

Additionally, heart disease cost the US about $252.2 billion from 2019 to 2020. Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, affecting about 1 in 20 adults aged 20 years or older.

Several medical conditions and lifestyle choices increase the risk of heart disease. By identifying, reducing, or abstaining from these risks, individuals can improve their heart health and mitigate potential health risks.

1. Diet and Exercise

Following a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce risk of heart disease or other cardiovascular-related issues.³ Limiting consumption of processed foods, added sugars, salt, and nontropical vegetable oils can reduce the risk of heart complications. Doctors and dieticians recommend a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish, and limited dairy products for heart health.

Additionally, regular exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of diabetes and inflammation, and help maintain a healthy weight.⁴ Exercise works similar to β-blockers, slowing the heart rate down and lowering blood pressure overall. Combining aerobic exercise (eg, jogging, swimming, or biking) with resistance training (eg, moderate weightlifting) can benefit heart disease prevention.

Exercise benefits both healthy individuals and those with heart disease by improving myocardial perfusion, increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, reducing stress on the heart, and improving cardiovascular function, a study found.⁵ A 4-month diet or exercise intervention program reduced cardiovascular risks in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Several previous studies have investigated the effects of diet and exercise on cardiovascular health, determining that diet, exercise, or a combination of both significantly impacts heart health.

2. Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol Consumption

Excessive tobacco and alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.⁶ Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in a dose-dependent manner with more tobacco use leading to greater disease risk. Smoking introduces chemicals that damage the heart and the blood vessels.⁷ Even occasional smoking can cause this level of damage, posing a greater risk to women who use birth control pills and people with diabetes. Smoking specifically increases the risk of peripheral artery disease, which, in turn, increases the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Consuming 3 or more alcoholic drinks per day increases the risk of ischemic stroke, and heavier drinking increases the risk of myocardial infarction.⁶ People who consume 3 to 5 drinks per day have a roughly 50% higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Excessive drinking can cause abnormal heart rhythms, damage the heart muscle, and lead to heart attack, stroke, and palpitations.⁸ Higher alcohol consumption can also increase the chances of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.

3. Manage Stress

Chronic stress can increase negative impacts on heart health.⁹ Stress initially affects emotional and psychological well-being, but prolonged stress can lead to persistent physical symptoms.

Researchers, in a study published in The Lancet, wrote that a relationship between neural tissue activity and subsequent cardiovascular events suggested the brain’s salience network, bone marrow, and arterial inflammation together form an axis that could accelerate the development of cardiovascular disease.¹⁰ Brain images revealed a link between areas involved in fear and stress and cardiovascular disease episodes.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends practicing meditation, talking to a professional counselor, or seeking support from community or family to manage chronic stress.¹¹ Relaxation techniques include breathing exercises, guided imagery, autogenic training, and progressive relaxation.¹²

4. Get Enough Sleep

Inadequate sleep or insomnia puts patients at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.¹³ Studies have shown that insomnia can increase the stress hormone cortisol and alter the body’s stress response. Short sleep periods or disrupted sleep patterns can increase blood pressure and inflammation, thus increasing the overall risk of cardiovascular diseases.

In addition, obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.¹⁴ Disturbed respiration reduces the amount of oxygen flowing in the blood, which can worsen the effects of sleep apnea on heart health.

Experts suggest developing relaxation strategies, establishing a consistent sleep schedule, and avoiding sleep disruptors like caffeine before bed to improve sleep quality. Additionally, strong sleep hygiene can create a foundation for better sleep, making it easier to obtain the necessary quantity and quality of sleep.

5. Annual Exams

Regular medical exams from your primary care provider can reduce the risk of heart disease.¹⁵ Physicians often conduct routine tests and screenings that can detect heart issues and warning signs, preventing more serious complications.

Heart disease risk factors often lack obvious signs or symptoms, and some patients remain unaware of their conditions for years before they worsen. Some symptoms of a potential heart problem include chest pain, dizziness, heart palpitations, nausea, fatigue, fainting spells, shortness of breath, and headaches. Patients should communicate any potential symptoms of heart disease to their physician, who can then run further tests and develop a plan to optimize the patient's heart health.

During regular exams, doctors assess heart health by checking body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, and oxygen saturation level, as well as listening to the heart rhythm. Doctors can use cholesterol tests, complete blood counts, comprehensive metabolic panels, fasting glucose tests, and creatinine blood tests to assess heart health. While an electrocardiogram is not part of a standard exam, a doctor may order this test for more detailed information on the heart's functioning. Overall, regular exams can reduce the risk of heart disease, particularly through screenings and tests that detect heart issues and warning signs early, before serious complications arise.

Patients should inform their physician about risk factors like advancing age or a family history of heart disease, as physicians can provide potentially lifesaving interventions beyond patients' self-management capabilities.

References

1. American Heart Month. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. December 4, 2024. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/american-heart-month
2. Heart disease facts. CDC. October 24, 2024. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
3. The American Heart Association’s diet and lifestyle recommendations. American Heart Association. July 30, 2024. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/aha-diet-and-lifestyle-recommendations
4. Exercise and the heart. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2023. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercise-and-the-heart
5. Pinckard K, Baskin KK, Stanford KI. Effects of exercise to improve cardiovascular health. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2019;6:69. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2019.00069
6. Mukamal KJ. The effects of smoking and drinking on cardiovascular disease and risk factors. Alcohol Research & Health. 2024;29(3):199. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6527044/
7. How smoking affects the heart and blood vessels. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. March 24, 2022. Accessed February 11, 2025.https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart/smoking
8. Alcohol and heart disease: what are the risks? British Heart Foundation. January 31, 2025. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/effects-of-alcohol-on-your-heart
9. Chronic stress can cause heart trouble. American Heart Association News. February 4, 2020. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/02/04/chronic-stress-can-cause-heart-trouble
10. Tawakol A, Ishai A, Takx R AP, et al. Relation between resting amygdalar activity and cardiovascular events: a longitudinal and cohort study. The Lancet. 2017;389(10071):834-845. doi:10.1016/ S0140-6736(16)31714-7
11. Manage stress. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. March 24, 2022. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-healthy-living/manage-stress
12. Relaxation techniques: what you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. June 2021. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know
13. Insomnia and heart health. American Heart Association. June 28, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/sleep-disorders/insomnia
14. Suni E, Callender E. How sleep deprivation affects your heart. Sleep Foundation. April 25, 2024. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-heart
15. Roland J. How to work with your doctor to prevent heart disease. Healthline. February 15, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/work-with-your-doctor-to-prevent-heart-disease