6 heart-healthy habits for women

Death rates from heart disease in the United States have been dropping steadily over the last four decades. But the rates aren’t dropping for younger and middle-aged women. In fact, a 2019 article in Circulation found that heart attack rates among women in their 50s went up 10 percent between 1999 and 2014.

These numbers may sound scary, but the good news is that you are not powerless to reduce your risk of heart disease.

According to one large study, women who started to follow six healthy lifestyle practices in their 20s and 30s were able to reduce their chances of developing a risk factor for heart disease by 66 percent. What’s more, the women cut their overall heart attack risk in middle age by 92 percent, according to the 20-year study of nearly 70,000 women by researchers at Indiana University, the Harvard School of Public Health, and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Here are six heart-healthy habits drawn from research that you can incorporate into your daily routine today. 

Simply put: If you smoke, stop. The Harvard study found that women who smoked 25 or more cigarettes a day were five times more likely to develop heart disease. Do you only smoke one to 14 cigarettes a day? You’re still three times more likely to compromise your heart health. The only safe number is zero. And if you're younger and smoke, don't wait to quit smoking until you're a little older. Research makes clear that smoking in your younger years seriously impacts your health over the next two decades.

Smoking is thought to increase the risk of heart disease by:

• Increasing buildup of plaque (a fatty deposit) inside blood vessels
• Lowering levels of HDL (aka, “good” cholesterol, a fat-like substance in the blood)
• Raising triglyceride levels (a type of cholesterol)
• Damaging and narrowing blood vessels
• Increasing the risk of blood clots by making blood more sticky

Even secondhand smoke can damage your heart. People who are exposed to other people's smoke regularly have a 25 percent increased risk of heart attack.

Women who engaged in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity significantly reduced their heart disease risk. The Harvard study authors found that those who exercised more than five hours per week cut their risk by nearly 60 percent. Women who exercised between 2.5 and 5 hours per week cut it by almost 50 percent.

These numbers align with recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) to get 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week. As you are able, try to work out hard enough to increase your heart rate. Options such as brisk walking, dancing, running, swimming, and aerobics can get your heart pumping.

Not sure if you’re working out hard enough? Gauge your efforts with this simple rule of thumb: You should be able to talk while doing moderate activity, but should only be able to say a few words at a time before needing a breath when you're doing vigorous activity.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that women who watch TV spend on average 2.69 hours in front of the TV each day, or nearly 19 hours per week. The Harvard study found that women who watched seven or more hours per week were more likely to develop a heart risk factor such as diabetes (high blood sugar levels), high blood pressure, or high cholesterol (a fat-like substance in the blood) than those who skip TV. A 2022 study in BMC Medicine estimated that 11 percent of heart disease could be prevented if people watched an hour or less of TV each day.

You can still watch your favorite shows, just make your TV time more useful: Try walking in place or jogging on a treadmill or doing simple exercises like squats, pushups, or jumping jacks while watching.

You may have read about how certain types of alcohol can protect your heart, but the science is still unclear on this topic. Even if there may be a benefit from moderate intake, it’s important to limit yourself to the recommended maximum of one drink per day for women, and two for men. Women in the Harvard study with the lowest risk for heart disease and related conditions like diabetes (high blood sugar levels), high cholesterol (a fat-like substance in the blood), and high blood pressure consumed about one drink daily.

Any potential benefits of moderate alcohol consumption also need to be weighed against the established risks. Any amount of alcohol intake, for example, can raise breast cancer risk.

If you don’t drink, don’t start in hopes of improving your heart health. If you do drink regularly, limit yourself to no more than one drink per day.

According to the AHA, a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 25 is considered healthy. The Harvard study found that early coronary heart disease risk was 50 percent higher for those considered overweight, meaning a BMI between 25 and 29.9. A BMI greater than 30 doubled risk, while a BMI greater than 35 tripled it.

BMI measures body fat based on your height and weight (although it’s only one measure commonly used for this purpose and is not always a perfect measure of one’s overall health).

Having a high BMI may increase the amount of work your heart has to do to perform daily tasks. It has also been shown to increase your risk of having conditions such as diabetes (high blood sugar levels), high cholesterol (a fat-like substance in the blood), and high blood pressure—all of which can damage your heart. If you have an elevated BMI, you can bring it within normal range by following the five previous recommendations.

Heart disease may sound scary, but the fact that you can control many aspects of your risk may make it less so. In the Harvard study, only 5 percent of the participants did all six heart-healthy activities. But even women who did only one or two reduced their risk of heart disease. Start today, make gradual changes, and know that your healthy habits could be adding years to your life down the road.