Your heart is like your body’s engine, and it needs special care and attention as you get older. The National Institute on Aging says that people aged 65 years and older are more likely to struggle with cardiovascular disease, which refers to problems pertaining to the heart and/or blood vessels. This is a result of the changes that occur in your heart and blood vessels as you age. How can the elderly take extra care of their tickers to protect themselves against heart disease? Keep reading for practical and actionable heart health tips that anyone can apply.

7 Simple Heart Health Tips for Older Adults

Remember that it’s always wise to speak with your healthcare provider before you make any lifestyle changes, especially if you’re dealing with a chronic disease or you’re currently taking medication.

That said, let’s get going with some simple but powerful heart health tips!

1. Limit Alcohol

A cup of wine or your favorite cocktail might help you relax. And it’s true that in small amounts, alcohol can be safe. However, too much of it can be dangerous and even deadly. Excessive alcohol consumption can trigger high blood pressure, stroke, and even heart failure. It can also lead to cardiomyopathy, which is a type of disorder that impacts your heart muscle.

While certain types of alcohol (like red wine) might offer some health benefits, your best bet is to steer clear to take better care of your heart health.

2. Manage Your Stress

Stress isn’t all in your head. It can increase your risk of heart disease. This is because when you get stressed out, your body produces more cortisol, which is a hormone involved in the “fight or flight” response. Constant cortisol keeps your body in a state of constant inflammation. Long-term stress can increase your blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol, and triglycerides. All of these are common risk factors for heart disease. Plus, stress can cause changes that increase the buildup of plaque in your arteries. (Your arteries carry oxygenated blood to your organs.)

There are all sorts of ways to limit your stress. (Also, while this is one of our heart health tips, note that limiting stress is important for your overall health.) Some ideas to consider are meditation, journaling, exercise, yoga, hot showers, cold therapy, and just about anything that gets you outdoors.

3. Eat Heart-Healthy Foods

Changing your eating habits can be hard, we know. Focusing on consuming nutrient-dense foods is a great place to start. If you want to be even more intentional, here are some particularly heart-healthy foods:

• Black beans
• Olive oil
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Sweet potatoes
• Oranges
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Edamame
• Oatmeal
• Barley
• Flaxseed
• Cherries
• Blueberries

If you can’t get what you need from your diet alone, talk to your healthcare provider about supplementation. Common supplements for heart health include folate (vitamin B9), omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and magnesium

4. Be Proactive (and Specific) with Your Bloodwork

One of the best ways to gain insight into your health is through bloodwork. But what exactly do you need in order to ensure your heart is remaining strong? eNational’s Cardiac Risk Monitoring Panel is a comprehensive and in-depth screening that gives you a more complete picture of your cardiac health. It provides an early look into your risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and more. Results will include your cholesterol, vitamin levels, signs of inflammation, iron, body fat measurements, clotting-related issues, and other hormone activity related to your heart health. Order your test online in just a few clicks.

5. Maintain a Healthy Weight

You probably don’t need us to tell you that it’s important to keep your body at a healthy weight. But what does excess weight do to your heart specifically? Well, if you’re overweight, it can lead to fatty material that builds up in your arteries. Over time, if the arteries that bring blood to your heart become damaged or clogged, you could be more likely to suffer from a heart attack.

There are other ways that obesity can hurt your heart health. For instance, people who are significantly overweight have larger amounts of blood. This means that the heart has to pump harder, which can eventually lead to heart failure. Furthermore, because the heart — a muscle — has to work harder, it gets bigger (which in the case of the heart is a bad thing). This is called ventricular hypertrophy.

There’s an indirect relationship between obesity and heart health, as well. Carrying excess weight can lead to sleep apnea (when your airways keep getting blocked while you’re asleep), which increases your blood pressure, hurts your lungs, and can ultimately lead to heart failure.

All of this is to say that one of our best heart health tips is to maintain a healthy weight through diet, exercise, and lots of sleep. Speaking of…

6. Get Plenty of Quality Sleep

This means not only getting enough sleep but getting enough deep sleep. The CDC says that if you’re suffering from insomnia, it can lead to more stress, less desire to be physically active, and poor eating habits — all of which can hurt your heart.

And, as we already mentioned, if you’re dealing with sleep apnea, you’re not getting enough sleep because you actually stop breathing for short periods of time through the night. Many people who deal with sleep apnea wake up “choking,” which means that their sleep is constantly interrupted.

Your heart (and the rest of your body) wants you to get plenty of sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, avoid blue light-emitting gadgets at least one hour before bed, and if you’re dealing with a condition like insomnia or sleep apnea, talk to your healthcare provider.

7. Stay Away from Tobacco

Smoking hurts your heart in more ways than one, including coronary heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Avoid all tobacco products and stay away from people who smoke. Yes, secondhand smoke can still hurt you!

Don’t wait for your heart to start malfunctioning before you seek guidance from a provider. Get ahead of your cardiovascular health with in-depth bloodwork. Learn more about eNational’s Cardiac Risk Monitoring Panel and order your test today.