As much as 80 percent of premature heart disease is preventable by making specific lifestyle choices. Some strategies, such as exercising and managing weight, are well known. But others may not have crossed your mind.
Get eight hours of sleep. "When you're not rested, everything that happens in your life is a lot more stressful," says Dr. Arya Sharma, a professor of medicine at the University of Alberta. If we don't have enough sleep, our bodies also have more difficulty controlling blood pressure, inflammation and glucose levels.
Engage in volunteer work. Research published in Psychosomatic Medicine showed that a feeling of purpose in life is linked to a lower likelihood of heart attack and stroke. Depending on the type of work you do, volunteering might even increase your physical activity.
Try to get your outdoor exercise far away from highways and industrial districts, and spend more time indoors when the air quality index is poor. As various studies show, even short periods of exposure are unhealthy for people who already have other cardiovascular (心血管的) risks, such as high blood pressure.
Laugh. A 2016 study in the Journal of Epidemiology of more than 20,000 people over the age of 65 found a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in those who reported laughing every day.
A. Avoid polluted air. B. Engage in indoor activities. C. These factors can all have an impact on cardiovascular health. D. Read the following tips to make your life filled with happiness. E. Doing good for others helps your self-esteem and relieves stress. F. It reduces stress and depression, and it may also serve as a mini-workout. G. Actually, a small change in your everyday routine can potentially have a big impact. |
