Keep Your Heart Healthy For Heart Health Month

February is American Heart Month! Each year, this month serves as a reminder to focus on our hearts and encourage heart health among our families, friends, and communities. Keeping your heart healthy doesn’t have to be complicated, here are four easy tips for you to start a happy heart journey.

Get Active

A healthy heart is an active one. Physical activity is essential to heart health. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Whether you walk or run, play sports, or swim, make sure you build enough active minutes into your week to have a healthy heart.

Listen to music

Did you know that music with a slower tempo can also help you lower your blood pressure and improve your heart rate? The right type of music can have a positive calming effect and has been proven to lower blood pressure. Listening to music for at least 30 minutes a day can lower blood pressure, slow down the heart rate and decrease anxiety.

Practice good dental hygiene

Dental health is a good indication of your overall health, including your heart, because those who have gum disease often have the same risk factors for heart disease. Studies have shown that bacteria in the mouth can potentially move into the bloodstream and cause an elevation in C-reactive protein that may increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Floss and brush your teeth daily to ward off gum disease. It’s more than cavities you may have to deal with if you are fighting gum disease.

Get enough sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep is also important. People with chronic sleep disturbances such as insomnia and sleep apnea have a shorter life expectancy compared to those who consistently sleep well. Sticking to a regular sleep schedule, Avoiding artificial light especially within a few hours of bedtime, and avoiding eating or drinking within a few hours of bedtime are simple tips to help you get more sleep to keep your heart happy.

Keeping your heart healthy can be simple. One of the best ways to understand any improvements you may need to improve your heart health is to talk to your doctor.

From measuring your blood pressure to discussing family history, our medical staff can give you a solid understanding of your heart disease risk. To schedule your appointment, please call (612) 332-4973 to schedule your appointment today!