Cardiologists Warn This Common Habit May Be Aging Your Heart Faster Than Smoking

When it comes to harmful habits that age your heart, what usually comes to mind is a lack of exercise, overeating, consuming excessive alcohol, and smoking.

There’s another habit that cardiologists point to that may not get as much attention but can cause your heart to age fast: a lack of quality sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation can throw your entire cardiovascular system off balance and cause heart problems, according to cardiologists.

Although everyone’s sleep needs are different, sleep experts suggest that most adults aim for about seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

“All animals sleep. This tells us that sleep is a natural and essential component of life,” Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a preventive cardiologist, told EatingWell.com. “It’s perhaps not surprising then that chronic sleep deprivation—meaning not getting enough sleep or enough quality sleep—can have wide-ranging impacts on our body.”

Sleep is the time when your body repairs and restores itself from the previous day’s activities. Your heart reacts to stress hormones during the day, and they’re supposed to calm down and reset as you sleep. However, chronic sleep deprivation keeps your body in a heightened state of alertness and keeps the “fight-or-flight” portion of your nervous system activated.

As a result, your stress hormones stay high, and your blood pressure remains elevated as well. The heart gets used to working hard all the time and starts showing signs of wear over time.

Poor sleep also increases inflammation, which can damage the lining of blood vessels and accelerate plaque formation, Danielle Smiley, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told EatingWell.com. This puts you at risk for atherosclerosis, a disease caused by plaque buildup inside the arteries that makes them narrow and stiff.

In addition to sleep deprivation, there are other habits that can age your heart fast:

1. Lack of Physical Activity

Your heart wants your body to keep moving because it relies on circulation to keep healthy. When you’re not moving around, your blood moves at a reduced pace, your muscles stay still, and your heart doesn’t get the fuel it needs.

A sedentary lifestyle not only affects your heart health, but also increases your risk for chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

2. Poor Oral Hygiene

You may not be thinking about your heart when you’re brushing and flossing your teeth. But studies have associated dental health with heart disease. Bacteria from an abscess, a cavity, gum disease, or not brushing regularly can enter your blood and reach your heart valves. Bacteria can grow and put pressure on those valves, and potentially cause them to rupture or break. This condition, called endocarditis, can be life-threatening.

3. A Poor Diet

Some of the most popular and delicious foods contain unhealthy fats, loads of sugar, lots of sodium, and chemical additives, all of which can contribute to an aging heart.

When sodium builds up, the body retains extra water, which raises your blood volume and makes the heart work harder. Excess sugar from food and sweetened drinks can cause your blood pressure to spike and then drop. When this pattern repeats throughout the week, the heart gets trapped in a cycle of pressure and recovery.

How Can You Tell If Your Heart is Aging Prematurely?

Cardiologists say it’s possible for your heart to age faster than your chronological age, and an aging heart can increase your risk factors for developing heart disease. According to Dr. Vikas Sunder, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, aging hearts are more likely to have “stiffer, calcified arteries, thickened and stiffer muscle tissue, abnormalities in their conduction system and dysfunctional valves.”

To get an idea of your “heart age,” the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology offer an online Cardiovascular Risk Calculator to quantify your cardiovascular age based on certain risk factors, like high blood pressure, past health issues, and family history.

Tips for Keeping Your Heart Young

You can keep your heart healthy and prevent it from aging prematurely, even if you’ve been diagnosed with certain health conditions. Here are some steps you can take to support your heart and cardiovascular system:

1. Engage in daily physical activity

Just as your body needs to stay fit, cardiologists say that your heart does too. Physical activity, along with a weekly exercise plan, can boost your heart’s strength and help oxygen reach all parts of your body. Regular movement also helps regulate circadian rhythms, reduce stress hormones, and improve sleep.

2. Don’t drink a lot of alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, and an increased risk of stroke. Also, don’t drink alcohol before going to bed. “Alcohol might make you relaxed so that you can fall asleep more easily, but the metabolites of alcohol are stimulating, ultimately disturbing slumber,” Dr. Klodas explained to EatingWell.com. Instead of alcohol, try drinking water or herbal tea, such as chamomile, in the evening.

3. Turn off your phones, tablets, and TV before bedtime

The blue light from the screens can suppress melatonin, the hormone that tells your body that it’s time to go to sleep. “Reducing screen exposure and avoiding stimulating tasks about an hour before sleep can help lower cortisol and support melatonin production,” Smiley told EatingWell.com.

4. Follow A Healthy Diet

You don’t have to eliminate your favorite foods from your diet. Cardiologists recommend keeping cholesterol and blood pressure balanced by filling your plate with vegetables, lean protein, beans, fruit, and grains. Dr. Sunder recommends avoiding trans fats and consuming saturated fats, salt, and refined sugar sparingly. In addition, Smiley suggests steering clear of large, sugary meals late at night, as they can interfere with sleep and blood sugar control. “A balanced dinner with fiber, lean protein and healthy fats—finished two to three hours before bed—supports steadier overnight blood sugar and fewer awakenings,” Smiley told EatingWell.com.

5. Manage your chronic diseases or conditions

Chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, can increase your risk of heart disease and damage your blood vessels. Sometimes, even certain medications can affect your heart. So, to ensure you’re managing your conditions, schedule regular checkups with your doctor, follow your physician’s treatment plan, and take medications as prescribed.

Pay Attention to Unusual Symptoms

While regular checkups matter, it’s also important to listen to your body and your heart because they can tell you when something isn’t quite right.

Dr. Sunder recommends contacting your doctor if you develop any of the following symptoms:

By adopting healthy habits, talking to your doctor, and paying attention to your body’s signals, you can slow your heart down from aging too fast.

“We know that the most important way to prevent cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation is promoting a healthy lifestyle throughout life, and we take a team-based approach to help our patients achieve this,” Dr. Sunder said.

Source Links:
https://www.eatingwell.com/this-habit-ages-your-heart-fast-11906801
https://www.parklandmedicalcenter.com/healthy-living/blog/7-habits-that-could-be-harming-your-heart
https://www.capitolcardiology.com/5-everyday-habits-that-are-silently-hurting-your-heart