Heart Health Archive

Circadian rhythms, which are hardwired into nearly every cell of the body, regulate the heart and blood vessels. Disruptions to this rhythm-from shift work, poor sleep, or unhealthy habits-can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, heart attacks are more likely to occur on Mondays than any other day of the week. That's because people tend to stay up later than usual and then sleep in the next day. On Monday morning, when they have to wake up early again for work, the change may cause subtle changes in blood pressure, hormone secretion, and metabolism that raise heart attack risk.

A 2025 study finds that smoking and high blood pressure are the two most important factors driving heart disease risk. Together with high cholesterol, excess weight (or being underweight), and diabetes, these five factors account for about 50% of the burden of cardiovascular disease. Compared to people with all five risk factors at age 50, those who had none of the factors were far less likely to develop cardiovascular disease or die early. On average, women with none of the risks at midlife lived 13 more years without heart disease, while men lived an additional 11 years.

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for preventing heart disease and extending life. Physical activity triggers favorable changes such as making cells more sensitive to insulin and reducing inflammation. It also helps keep blood vessels supple and flexible (which supports efficient blood flow), strengthens muscles (which helps burn more calories), and remodels the heart, making it more efficient at pumping blood through the body. Together, these changes all reduce a person's chances of developing common risk factors for heart disease, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.

A 2025 study suggests that higher fitness levels may help protect people from developing atrial fibrillation.

Researchers have found that high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking had the greatest association with the likelihood of a dementia diagnosis as people age. Managing these issues could offer protection.

A 2025 study suggests that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can lead to heart-related complications, such as a heart attack, chronic heart failure, or an irregular heartbeat-even in people without a previous heart condition.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of the tiny fluctuations in timing from one heartbeat to the next. Higher values are linked to better fitness levels and stress resilience.

Eating two eggs per day doesn't appear to raise harmful LDL cholesterol, as long as people follow a diet low in saturated fat. Although eggs are high in cholesterol, dietary cholesterol doesn't have much of an effect on the amount in a person's bloodstream. But excess dietary saturated fat does raise blood cholesterol, which is why people should limit their saturated fat to 7% of their daily calories.

Insufficient sleep triggers a long list of physiological and hormonal changes that contribute to heart disease. For example, a lack of sleep can cause increases in blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation, and weight. Doctors recommend getting at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Strategies that promote better sleep include going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, creating a healthy sleep environment, and turning off electronics an hour before bedtime.

A diet low in sodium and rich in plant-based foods promotes a diverse, balanced population of gut microbes, which may help people maintain a healthy blood pressure. A salty diet increases the prevalence of bad microbes and reduces the number of beneficial microbes. When bad microbes accumulate in the gut, they form breakdown products and toxins that promote inflammation. Beneficial microbes feed on fiber, which is why a diet that provides a mix of healthy fiber from plant-based foods helps. These microbes produce short-chain fatty acids, which interact with specific receptors on cells that help regulate blood pressure.