admins Most of us know that high blood pressure, diabetes, or elevated cholesterol levels can harm our heart health.
But do you know that there are certain reasons that you don’t even have expected can negatively impact your heart?
Spending the whole day sitting on the sofa, avoiding physical activities, going for frequent dine-outs are some of the activities that can turn out to be culprits for your deteriorating heart health.
As a result, you should stop these activities to improve your heart health over time. Read on to know more:
Taking too much stress
A study conducted by thehindubusinessline.com showed that about 74% of Indians suffer from daily stress.
Stress is normal in today’s life. But when anxiety becomes a constant companion, it can cause some severe consequences for your heart.
Taking too much stress can raise your blood pressure and put more strain on your heart and arteries. Generally, your cortisol levels rise when you take too much stress thus aggravating your blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Additionally, long-term stress can make your blood thicker and can increase the chances of blood clots.
Therefore, it is essential for you to deal with everyday stressors in an ideal way. For that, you can follow these steps:
- Get plenty of exercises
- Build a strong support network
- Spend quality time with your loved ones
- Spare some time for your hobbies
Regular dine outs
Who doesn’t want to go on dine-outs with friends and family?
It can be tempting to join your friends for dinner or grab a pizza on the way home from working late. However, these regular dine-outs may harm your heart health in the long run.
The food you eat can directly cause risk factors, including cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight. For example, restaurant foods are often high in saturated fats and trans-fats and can cause cholesterol to build up in your arteries. This can aggravate your risk of heart attacks or heart disease.
Therefore, eating the right food is important for the better functioning of your heart. However, eating a heart-healthy diet doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t go to restaurants.
You can follow these simple ways to make eating at a restaurant healthier:
- Look up the nutritional information on the menus at restaurants.
- Avoid bread before dinner, or a cocktail with dinner as these can add fat, sugar, and calories that are unhealthy for your heart.
- Order salad instead of fries or fruits instead of dessert.
Not staying active
Not staying active can also impact your heart health. Physical activity contributes to developing your heart muscles and helps keep your heart active and healthy.
However, lack of physical activity can increase the likelihood of developing heart disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Therefore, exercising regularly is key to maintaining your heart health.
If you’re not very active right now, start slow. Moderate-intensity physical activity can lower your cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and help you maintain a healthy weight.
You can follow these simple ways to stay active:
- Walking short distances rather than driving
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Going for a daily morning walk
- Playing team sports like cricket or football
Lack of sleep
Sleep is no luxury, it is critical for your heart health. Getting enough sleep is essential for your heart and body to function normally throughout the day.
Moreover, lack of sleep can harm your heart health. Sleep conditions like sleep apnea can affect the oxygen level that your body gets during sleep. It can increase your risk of many health problems including, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Therefore, you should get a good quality sleep.
You can follow these steps to get a good-quality sleep:
- Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
- For better sleep, get enough natural light.
- Avoid physical exercises before going to bed.
Dental problems
Poor oral health can indirectly put you at risk of developing heart disease
Gum disease, also called Periodontitis, is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. Cardiologists think that bacteria from your gums can move into your bloodstream. It can lead to the inflammation of the blood vessels.
Further, it can also cause a condition called atherosclerosis that can cause plaque to build up in your artery walls and aggravate your risk of heart attacks.
Therefore, you can take care of your dental by following these steps:
- Brush your teeth twice a day
- Floss your teeth daily
- Schedule regular dental checkups with your dentist
Snoring
Snoring too can badly impact your heart health. But how?
Snoring is often the result of a condition called sleep apnea. Under this condition, a narrowed or blocked airway restricts air from getting into your lungs which makes it difficult for you to breathe. This condition can raise your risk of high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, or strokes.
Moreover, people who snore can develop thickness inside the wall of carotid arteries. It can elevate your risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Therefore, if you and your partner have the habit of snoring regularly, you should consult your doctor as it could indicate a brewing heart problem.
Belly fat
Any extra weight is hard on your heart, but excess weight around your belly can be more dangerous. For example, you have excess belly fat if you are a woman with a waist of 35 inches or more, and you are a man, and your waist is more than 40 inches.
Excess belly fat can trigger your body to make hormones and other chemicals that can raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Moreover, abdominal obesity is also linked to fat accumulation around the liver. This can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which adds to cardiovascular disease risk.
Therefore, if you have excess belly fat, you should:
- Talk to your doctor about a diet and exercise plan
- Start performing yoga and moderate to intense exercises
- Start short walks after eating your food
Patiala Heart Institute: Best Hospital in Patiala
Patiala Heart Institute is among the best hospitals in Patiala. We have the best cardiologists who offer the most advanced heart care to all the patients.
Frequently Asked Question:
The symptoms of heart disease can be different for men and women. Men have more obvious symptoms of heart disease than women. However, women may experience some less noticeable symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, lightheadedness, or fainting.
When you have a weak heart, you may discover the following symptoms: Shortness of breath Irregular heartbeats Fatigue and weakness Persistent cough Swelling in the abdomen area If you ignore these symptoms, they can harm your heart health.
Yes, walking is good for your heart health. It is a form of aerobic exercise that can regulate your heart rate, strengthen your heart and increase blood circulation through your body. Do men and women experience the same symptoms of heart disease?
What are the first signs of a weak heart?
Is walking good for your heart health?
