Many people find it difficult to maintain a healthy heart. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves exercising, eating a healthy diet and keeping a close eye on your cardiovascular disease risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking). Cardiovascular disease kills someone every 34 seconds in the U.S. This sounds pretty scary.
According to Dr. Leslie Cho, the section head of preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. Cho said 90% of heart disease is preventable. The AHA’s recently updated Life’s Essential 8 defines the eight preventable measures as “key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health.” Here’s what to know:
Image Credit: Shutterstock/mi_viri & Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio
Sleep Is Now Included In The Guidelines.
According to the AHA, sleep is vital to cardiovascular health for the first time. You need seven to nine hours of sleep every night for a healthy immune system, to restore cells and blood vessels, and to improve brain function.
According to Cho, if you have poor sleep, you are more likely to suffer from things like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and heart failure. She added that sleep deprivation also increases obesity and diabetes risk factors. “It’s a vicious cycle,” she said.
Sleep apnea, where you stop breathing in your sleep, poses a higher risk. According to Cho, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and heart failure have all been linked to sleep apnea. Consult your doctors if you think you may have sleep apnea.
Image Credit: Pexels/Lukas
Secondhand Smoke is An Official Risk.
The risks of heart disease and cancer are increased in children exposed to secondhand smoke or vaping, a third of whom are between 3-11 years old. The use of vaporizers can increase lung cancer risk, cause lung problems, and deliver nicotine, a highly addictive substance. Maintaining your heart health requires seven to nine hours of sleep per night.