It’s never too late to start protecting your heart.
Reviewed by Dietitian Casey Wing, RD, CD
Key Points
- Staying active improves circulation, lowers blood pressure and supports a healthy weight as you age.
- Eating more fiber can lower cholesterol, blood sugar and inflammation, benefiting heart health.
- Managing stress and getting quality sleep help reduce blood pressure and protect your heart.
The perks of getting older? Getting wiser! The cons? A higher risk of heart disease. Only 1% of adults under age 44 have heart disease, but after age 55, the prevalence shoots up to 9%. Once you’re over 75, you have about a 1 in 4 chance of having heart disease. “I notice that adults have a window of opportunity between 50 and 60 years old where they can improve muscle mass, bone health, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and body weight before those issues become ‘stubborn,’ chronic and hard to deal with later in life,” says Matthew Saybolt, MD, FACC. We asked Saybolt and two other cardiologists about powerful habits that can help support healthy heart aging—here’s what they recommend.
1. Be Active
If you’re already active, keep it up! And if you’re not, there’s no time like the present to get started. “Regular movement improves circulation and helps lower blood pressure. It also boosts HDL (“good”) cholesterol and supports a healthy weight,” says Yesha Rana, MD.
“Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, which can be anything from brisk walking to cycling to swimming,” says Rana. It’s also worth weaving strength training into your weekly routine, particularly as you age. “Without strong bones and muscles, we become vulnerable to frailty, falls, arthritic conditions and shortened life,” says Saybolt. Plus, greater muscle mass is linked with better cardiovascular health.
If a hardcore gym session isn’t your cup of tea, don’t sweat it (pun intended). “Attach movement to your normal routines. For example, park further away, take the stairs or break up activity into a few short walks throughout the day instead of relying on one long session,” suggests Rana. These short bouts of movement can support cardiometabolic health, too.
2. Eat Enough Fiber
If there’s one nutrition tip cardiologists have for you, it’s to eat more fiber. This simple habit has the potential to make a big difference for your heart health, since most Americans fall way short on their fiber needs. “Not only is fiber good for avoiding constipation, but it has so many heart benefits,” says Joyce Oen-Hsiao, MD, FACC. It helps lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. “Eating good fiber also helps to reduce the inflammation of the heart arteries, thus helping to prevent plaque from continuing to build up in the arteries,” adds Oen-Hsiao. Try incorporating at least one source of fiber at every meal to chip away at your daily needs—generally about 25 to 35 grams per day. Fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds all fit the bill.
3. Prioritize Stress Management
Stress isn’t just mental—it’s physical, too. “High levels of stress can lead to high blood pressure. It can also lead to disturbances in sleep and increased inflammation in the heart arteries,” says Oen-Hsiao. In other words, the combo of high stress and poor sleep is bad news for your heart. “Elevated stress hormones and disrupted sleep patterns can strain the cardiovascular system, increase inflammation and negatively affect blood pressure, all of which contribute to the development and progression of cardiovascular disease,” says Rana. Being mentally and physically drained can have a domino effect, hindering you from practicing other healthy habits like eating a heart-healthy diet and staying active. So, take stress management just as seriously as you take diet and exercise.
4. Keep Up with Routine Health Screenings
“Regular check-ins with your health care provider and staying up to date on screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are essential parts of heart health,” says Rana. These heart disease risk factors don’t always cause noticeable symptoms, so keeping up with routine doctor visits is critical for assessing your health status. “Early detection and management of risk factors can help prevent serious complications such as stroke and heart disease before they develop or progress,” says Rana. Routine screenings give you an opportunity to work on your health before serious issues emerge.
Other Tips to Support Heart Health After 50
Those aren’t the only ways to protect your heart. Here are a few bonus tips from cardiologists:
- Quit smoking and vaping. One in every four deaths from cardiovascular disease is caused by smoking. So, Saybolt recommends kicking this habit to the curb. Your risk of heart attack drops pretty significantly within just a year or two of quitting. The longer you go without smoking, the more heart-health benefits you reap.
- Get good sleep. As aforementioned, “poor sleep has been associated with increased cardiovascular events, as the lack of true rest causes increases in blood pressure and cholesterol,” says Oen-Hsiao. So give your heart the time it needs to rest and recover every night. For adults, that’s generally seven to nine hours of quality sleep.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet. Eating plenty of fiber is step one toward a heart-healthy diet, but cardiologists have more advice. “Focus on whole, minimally processed foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil,” says Rana. Lean proteins like beans, nuts and fish are also recommended. This type of eating pattern can help lower LDL cholesterol, inflammation and blood pressure—key risk factors for heart disease.
Our Expert Take
Protecting your heart as you age isn’t about overhauling your whole life. Just a few simple habits can make a world of a difference. Most of all, remember that it is never too late to make meaningful change, says Saybolt. Cardiologists’ top four habits for heart health as you age are to stay active, eat plenty of fiber, manage stress and keep up with routine health screenings. Quitting smoking, following a heart-healthy diet and getting good sleep help, too. If these are all new to you, pick one to get started with. Consider looping in a friend or partner to help cement the habits one at a time!
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