The heart works day and night. It pumps blood throughout the body and supplies organs, muscles, and tissues with oxygen and nutrients. To ensure that it can perform this task reliably for as long as possible, it’s worth making a conscious effort to monitor your heart health.
Many factors that affect the heart and circulatory system can be managed in everyday life. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, not smoking, getting enough rest, and managing stress effectively are among the most important foundations of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Heart health is about more than just a regular heartbeat. Blood vessels, blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar, body weight, and physical fitness also play a role.
A healthy cardiovascular system constantly adapts to the body’s needs. During exercise, the heart beats faster; at rest, the workload decreases again. The blood vessels regulate blood flow and help ensure that all parts of the body receive a reliable supply of blood.
To learn how the heart, blood vessels, and circulatory system work together, visit the page Cardiovascular System.
Heart health is influenced by various factors. Some of these can be changed, while others cannot.
These include, among other things:
A healthy lifestyle cannot completely eliminate risks. However, it can help reduce modifiable risk factors and support overall cardiovascular health.
The heart is a muscle and adapts to physical activity. Regular exercise supports physical performance, circulation, and metabolism. It can also help improve body weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipid levels.
Examples of appropriate forms of exercise include:
Consistency is key. Even short exercise sessions and increased activity in daily life are beneficial. Anyone who has not been active for a long time, already has cardiovascular problems, or is taking medication should consult a healthcare professional to determine an appropriate level of physical activity.
A balanced, predominantly plant-based diet provides the body with dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. A Mediterranean-style diet consisting of fresh, minimally processed foods is considered particularly beneficial for heart and vascular health.
These include:
Highly processed foods often contain a lot of salt, sugar, saturated fats, and calories. Therefore, they should not make up the bulk of your diet.
Nuts and seeds provide unsaturated fatty acids, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They can be a useful addition to a balanced diet.
Examples of good sources of fat include:
Since nuts and oils are high in calories, it's important to consume them in moderation.
A high salt intake can have an adverse effect on blood pressure in sensitive individuals. Ready-made meals, processed meats, salty snacks, cheese, sauces, and other highly processed products often contain particularly high amounts of salt.
It helps to cook fresh meals more often and to season dishes with herbs, vegetables, onions, garlic, and spices.
Smoking is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Tobacco smoke damages blood vessels and contributes to changes in the vessel walls.
Quitting smoking is worth it at any age. If you need help, you can talk to a doctor, visit a pharmacy, or contact a professional smoking cessation counselor.
Alcohol is not a way to protect your heart. Even small amounts can affect your heart rhythm, blood pressure, and other health factors, depending on your individual situation.
Anyone who drinks alcohol should do so mindfully and in moderation. If you have high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, certain medical conditions, or are taking medication, it may be best to avoid alcohol altogether.
When under stress, the body releases neurotransmitters that increase heart rate, blood pressure, and alertness. In the short term, this reaction is normal and helpful. However, if the tension persists over a longer period, it can make it harder to relax and may encourage unhealthy behaviors.
Chronic stress, for example, can cause people to:
The following may be helpful:
Sleep allows the body to recover. Heart rate and blood pressure usually drop while various regenerative processes take place.
The following habits can be helpful for establishing a regular sleep schedule:
Persistent sleep problems, loud snoring, pauses in breathing, or severe daytime fatigue should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Some risk factors do not cause any symptoms for a long time. These include, for example, high blood pressure, abnormal blood lipid levels, or high blood sugar levels.
Depending on your age, personal medical history, and family history, it may be a good idea to have these levels checked regularly:
The frequency of checkups should be discussed on an individual basis with a healthcare professional.
Cardiovascular diseases affect both women and men. However, heart problems in women are sometimes diagnosed later because their symptoms do not always match the typical presentation of severe pain in the left chest.
Possible symptoms may also include:
Such symptoms can have many causes. If they occur suddenly, are severe, or are accompanied by shortness of breath, chest tightness, or circulatory problems, seek medical help immediately.
During and after menopause, a person’s cardiovascular risk profile may change. Blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar, body weight, and fat distribution may take an unfavorable turn.
Women should not dismiss these changes as an inevitable part of aging. Exercise, a balanced diet, not smoking, and regular preventive care remain especially important during this stage of life.
Heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat may occur during hormonal changes. Since there may be other underlying causes, any new or recurring symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor.
During exercise, excitement, anxiety, or stress, the heart may temporarily beat faster or more forcefully. Caffeine, alcohol, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, or certain medications can also affect the heart rhythm.
A medical evaluation is advisable if you experience heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat:
Hawthorn (Crataegus) has traditionally been closely associated with heart and circulatory health. The plant belongs to the rose family and is recognizable by its white flowers and red berries.
A medical evaluation is recommended in the following cases:
Immediate medical attention is required in the following cases:
How the heart, blood vessels, and circulatory system work together.
High and low blood pressure, as well as circulatory problems, explained in simple terms.
What puts a strain on blood vessels and what a heart-healthy lifestyle might look like.
