Bring in the New Year with your best health plan yet! With each passing year, time feels like it moves faster and faster. We’re reminded that every second we have to share with our families is precious. That may be why 79% of adults make a New Year’s resolution related to their health each year.
Sometimes, unhealthy habits can sneak up on us when we least expect them, especially when it comes to our hearts. Start your year with these heart-healthy habits to ensure you have many more years of vitality ahead of you.
- Make an Appointment with Your Doctor
The New Year is here, and with it comes the perfect opportunity to start fresh. It’s a time for setting new goals, prioritizing your health, and creating lasting habits that can keep you feeling your best all year long.
One of the most important steps you can take is to focus on your heart. Start by making an appointment with one of our physicians at HeartCare for a wellness check. By taking into account your current health, you’ll be better prepared to plan out the next steps for your healthy habits.
Plus, prevention is key to a longer, healthier life. Many heart-related illnesses are undetectable until a serious heart episode occurs. A “silent” heart attack is when a person has a heart attack but doesn’t have any severe symptoms.
Whether you have symptoms or not, a wellness check will give you the information you need to have a healthier year and beyond. Your doctor can create a heart-healthy plan that caters to your specific lifestyle, goals, and current health.
- Manage Your Stress
Resolve this year to reduce and manage your stress whenever you can. It may seem impossible, but once you start prioritizing de-stressing, you’ll find simple ways to rest and recover. It’s necessary for keeping your heart healthy.
This is because chronic stress causes an increase in inflammation in your body which creates a build-up of plaque in your arteries. It also causes an increase in hormones such as adrenaline, which makes your heart beat faster and raises your blood pressure. These strains on your heart could lead to coronary artery disease, which can result in life-threatening events such as a heart attack or stroke.
Before stress gets the best of you take steps now to avoid it. First, identify the areas of your life that are most stressful. Make it a priority to plan for these situations or see if you can find a resolution in advance. Taking breaks from stressful things can help you recover. Next, practice saying “no” and setting healthy boundaries whenever possible.
Set aside time to disconnect from the news, social media, and other stressors to relax instead. Do something that you enjoy such as taking a mindful walk. Take a class that teaches meditation or deep breathing or find another way to learn new healthy practices that slow your heart rate and release stress.
Be kind to yourself if you fall back into unhealthy habits, then try to restart your de-stressing plan as soon as possible. Every little bit counts.
- Get More Sleep
Recent studies have shown that getting enough sleep reduces your risk of a heart attack. Healthy sleep patterns have been shown to directly affect heart health and its recovery after an injury. Your body needs sleep to repair itself from daily stressors.
The average adult needs about 7 hours of sleep, but many do not get the full amount of uninterrupted sleep that their body requires. To ensure you have a restful night, you should start by making a sleep schedule and sticking to it. This includes going to bed at the same time every night.
If you struggle with falling asleep, try being more active during the day. For example, by going for a morning or lunchtime walk. Avoid exercising right before bedtime. Don’t use artificial light within a few hours before bed and implement a blue light filter on your phone or computer. It’s also recommended to not eat or drink before bedtime, especially sugar, alcohol, or fats.
New Year, New You
We wish you a happy and healthy New Year and hope that you will consider these heart-healthy habits. This is just the start to maintaining your heart health for many years to come. Don’t wonder about your heart health any longer.
Start by getting a complete wellness check with one of our physicians. You’ll gain helpful insights into your current heart health and ways to improve your wellness moving forward. Take the guesswork out of your daily routine, we can help you create the best plan for you! Call us today.
