February is American Heart Month! This month's health awareness is a good reminder to focus on your heart health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, however, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Keep reading to learn how you can keep heart disease at bay.
1. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is essential for your health. During sleep your mind and body recharge, repair, and recover. According to the CDC, adults who sleep less than 7 hours each night are more likely to have health problems, including heart disease. Sleep deprivation leads to higher stress hormones such as cortisol and inflammatory markers which are associated with cardiovascular disease. To reduce your risk, getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep should be a priority.
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2. Reduce Your Stress Levels
When you are stressed your body releases the hormone adrenaline which causes your heart rate to increase, your breathing to become more rapid and shallow, and your blood pressure to rise. If you are chronically stressed, your body remains in “fight or flight” mode.
Over time, this can lead to the development and progression of coronary artery disease. We also tend to turn to harmful habits such as smoking, alcohol, and overeating when we are stressed and these behaviors will also increase the risk of heart disease. We will all experience stress, so the key is knowing how to manage it with healthier habits like exercise and meditation.
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3. Move More
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity or a combination of both. Being more active helps you maintain your weight, improve your sleep, reduce your blood pressure, and lowers your risk of heart disease.
4. Reduce Blood Pressure
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases the workload of the arteries supplying your heart and causes your heart muscle to stiffen. This increases your risk of having a heart attack. High blood pressure has no symptoms so the only way to know is to have it checked. A normal blood pressure reading is less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic. You can control your blood pressure by eating a healthy diet, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight.
5. Quit Smoking
Smoking increases the risk of heart disease by 2 to 4 times and causes approximately one of every four deaths from cardiovascular disease. The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the longer you’ve been a smoker, the higher your risk.
Even exposure to secondhand smoke causes heart disease in non-smokers. Smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure. It also makes your platelets sticky and promotes atherosclerosis, the build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls. If you quit smoking, your risk of a heart attack drops within a year.
Making good choices about your health will lead to a healthy heart. You can start by focusing on one of these goals.
Dr. Kelly N. Wood, MD is an internal medicine physician, board-certified in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. Dr. Kelly is currently in clinical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Through a multi-dimensional platform that addresses the mind, body, and spirit, Dr. Kelly lives out her passion to help others achieve total wellness and lead a balanced life. She makes expert health and wellness advice accessible to all through speaking engagements, media appearances, her Facebook show, and personal blog (drkellywoodmd.com).
Beyond the stethoscope, Dr. Kelly is recognized as “The Bounce Back Coach,” helping high-performing women to bounce back from failed relationships rebuild their self-esteem and reclaim their identity. Her debut book, “Bounce Back to Better: Recovering from the Disappointment of a Failed Relationship,” walks readers through her personal journey of reconstructing her life after her engagement ended.
Please connect with Dr. Kelly at [email protected]
