Everyday Habits and How They Affect Your Heart Health

Every day we indulge ourselves in various activities, either knowingly or unknowingly. We do not even realize how these activities can affect our health in the long run. But sooner or later the effects of these activities start engulfing us. Various side effects start showing up that make us realize how we have been taking our health for granted. What is even more important is that, some of these activities can have a direct or indirect impact on our overall health, including our heart’s health. Our heart can easily get affected by our lifestyle choices and daily activities.

Want to know how your everyday activities can affect your heart health? Stay with us in this blog and we would let you know how some of your common habits can lead to your heart problems.

Sedentary Lifestyle

The biggest risk factor for your heart can be your sedentary lifestyle. Some even call sitting as the new smoking. The more you spend sitting, means the less you are moving; and the less you are moving means the more risk you are causing to your heart. Even though you exercise regularly, sitting a lot can negate the benefits of exercising. There have been several evidences that prove that sitting has a negative impact on health. According to a recent survey conducted by the medical fraternity, it was found that sitting for long periods develop greater risks of heart failure.

Wondering how sitting for long periods can be dangerous to your heart? Here’s how:

Sitting for long periods can damage your body in several ways, such as:

• Sitting for long time slows the blood flow in your body, that allows fatty acid to build up in the blood vessels, in turn, developing heart diseases.
• It hinders the ability of your body to process the fats that increases the amount of fat in your blood. Further, the production of lipoprotein lipase of your body gets decreased due to prolonged sitting, in turn causing your body to store more fat.
• Prolonged sitting can also cause insulin resistance, thus, increasing the chances of type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
• Long hours of sitting can also affect the functioning of your brain as the blood flow to the brain slows down when you are sedentary. It also reduces the amount of oxygen received by the brain that can hinder the necessary body functions.
• Sitting for prolonged periods in the same place can make your bones weaker and cause negative impact on your skeletal system, such as inflammation and other heart-related problems.
• Last but not the least, lack of exercise can also weaken your muscles making it difficult to support other body systems.

It is therefore suggested to follow an active lifestyle and avoid prolonged sitting as far as possible.

Insufficient Sleep

Just like your mind and your body, your cardiovascular system also needs rest. Insufficient sleep can cause high cortisol and adrenaline levels, thus, augmenting stress and heart problems. It is therefore suggested to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to keep a better care of your heart health.

Excessive Stress

Your body releases adrenaline when you are under stress. This effects the functioning of your body. Release of adrenaline can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Over the time, excessive stress can damage the blood vessels in your heart and increase your risk for heart attack and heart failure. It is therefore suggested to talk to a friend, family member, or any trusted person to relieve yourself from the mental tension. Moderate exercise and yoga can also be very helpful in getting rid of excessive stress.

Not Flossing Daily

Do you know not flossing daily can also cause heart diseases? Yes, you heard it right. A number of studies have revealed that, bacteria associated with gum disease causes inflammation in the body that can increase the risk of heart diseases. It is therefore suggested to floss daily, not just to keep your gums healthy, but also to keep your heart healthier.

Drinking Too Much of Alcohol

Drinking too much of alcohol can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke. All of these can make you more vulnerable to heart disease. In a research conducted by the medical experts, it was held that having more than two drinks is sufficient to interrupt the normal heart rhythm and can even lead to heart failure. Although it is ok to occasionally have a glass of wine or cocktail, but it is suggested to avoid regular drinking of alcohol to protect your heart from diseases.

Too Much of Salt

Consumption of excessive sodium can be a cause of high BP, and increase the risk of heart diseases. It is therefore suggested to consume less than 1500mg of sodium per day.