It’s important to keep our heart in check to make sure we are keeping it as healthy as we can. Good cardiovascular health is central to overall good health and could even help extend your life. If you’ve developed some bad habits for heart health, it’s time to try and break them.
If you struggle with making good habits or breaking bad ones when it comes to your heart health, make an appointment with a cardiologist to discuss your options.
Being a couch potato
Too much time sitting is bad for your heart and has been linked to cognitive decline, more frailty and increased risk of death. So, it’s important to get your heart beating during regular exercise.
Providers recommend about 150 minutes a week of high intensity physical activity. However, you don’t have to do it all at once. You can break it down to 40 minutes every other day or four days a week. A good rule of thumb would be to do something where it would be hard to have a conversation. If you’re walking and able to speak comfortably, you may not be getting the same level of exercise.
If you’re not used to exercising regularly, it’s understandable that just getting started can be daunting. Taking that first step and then just putting one foot in front of the other is critical. Start with two to five minutes a day, then build up from there until you hit the recommended 150 minutes per week.
Also, try to find the fun. If you can link it to something you enjoy, like a podcast or TV show, it can feel more like a reward. Telling yourself you’re only watching that TV show when you’re exercising links those things as treat for yourself while you’re doing it.
Pairing this with a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables will help lower your risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol issues and heart disease.
Skipping out on sleep
Exercise isn’t the only metric that’s key to keeping your heart healthy. It’s also important to get an adequate amount of sleep each night – a full seven to nine hours each night is recommended.
Most people often don’t enough hours of sleep, which can lead to high stress levels, high blood pressure and heart rhythm problems in people with sleep apnea. If you feel yourself dozing off during the day or that you need a couple cups of coffee, then you’re probably not getting enough rest.
Staying stressed out
It’s also important to find some time to destress. Staying stressed out can increase your blood pressure and heart rate, which over time can lead to a heart attack, stroke and other serious damage. That much tension can also weigh down your overall health.
Overall, stress leads to the habits that can make you unhealthy. People with higher stress levels tend to exercise less and use food or alcohol to comfort themselves. Those are all unhealthy habits to get into. It’s important to deal with the stress, which can lead to developing healthy habits.
To lower your stress, make time for yourself and find ways to relax. Give yourself total quiet every day, even if just for a few minutes, practice deep breathing and meditation or just get outdoors to enjoy nature. Having a solid support system is also important – don’t be afraid to ask for help.
How we can help
When it comes to breaking bad habits for heart health improvement, the best place to start is a conversation with your primary care provider. They understand your personal health history and can guide you in the right direction to make meaningful changes. They may refer you to a cardiologist for more guidance.
Learn about the cardiology services we offer at Bon Secours.
