8 Bad Habits that Damage Your Heart

4 minutes

Although there are certain habits that are clearly bad for both your heart and health in general, you could be doing a few other things wrong without even realizing it.

Reviewed and approved by the doctor José Gerardo Rosciano Paganelli.

Written by Okairy Zuñiga

Last update: 26 May, 2022

Do you want to reduce your risk of heart disease? Do you want to have a strong, healthy heart? Although there are common habits that are clearly bad for both your heart and health in general, you could be doing damage in other ways without even realizing it.

The good news is that with a little effort, you can easily change some of the bad habits that make you damage your heart.

If take proper care of yourself, you might be able to prevent some problems that you should definitely avoid at all costs. Start by changing these 8 habits!

Bad habits that can damage your heart

1. Staying seated for too long

Do you exercise on a regular basis? That’s good. But if you spend much of your day sitting, it could be a problem. Your body needs to be active throughout the day, even if only in minor ways.

If you have an office job, it’s important that you take a short walk at least every hour to encourage good circulation. Just walk around your workplace to stretch and give your back a break.

In fact, staying in motion is easier than you think. Do you have a favorite TV show? Why not get up to dance or do some push-ups during commercials? You can even use a treadmill or a stationary bike while you watch your favorite series.

2. Thinking you’re too young to need to worry about your heart

Putting off concern for your heart health is one of the most common attitudes people have nowadays.

Exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, and keeping track of your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels are good habits to start cultivating.

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These habits won’t just make you healthier – you’ll look better, too. There’s no time like the present to take care of your heart and your overall health.

3. Having one more drink

For most people, it’s okay to consume alcohol in moderation. That means one drink a day for women and two for men. It might even have some benefits for your heart.

If you drink too much, though, then this it can raise the levels of certain lipids in your bloodstream, as well as your blood pressure.

This is why you need to stay within your set limits when it comes to heart health.

4. Having a boring diet

You might think that eating the same thing every day won’t affect your health. But we’re here to tell you that this is definitely one of the bad habits that could damage your heart. Drop that boring diet and add some variety!

The Mediterranean diet is one option that will allow you to incorporate healthy and delicious foods into your daily life.

Thanks to its good fats, fiber, and nutrients, these foods will help keep your heart healthy. It’s also easy to follow this diet because the foods you eat are delicious!

5. You don’t know your basic health numbers

What’s your current cholesterol level? What about your blood pressure? No idea? Not knowing these basic facts can be a big issue if you start having sudden health problems, you might not know how to prevent them or what to do.

Your levels might be causing problems for your body, meanwhile you don’t even know something might be wrong.

You could be feeling great even if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol. So find out these numbers and get to know yourself better.

If you’re older than 20, it’s a good idea to check your levels every four to six months.

6. Your waistline is outside of the normal range

The fat that builds up around the abdomen can be particularly damaging to your heart. If you haven’t checked your size lately, you’d better start now.

Being overweight is a warning sign that you shouldn’t ignore.

Do you think you need to lose weight? If so, remember that even a small amount of weight loss can be good for your heart.

7. You ignore your mental health

When you’re feeling depressed, it can be difficult to focus on doing things that are good for your health, like exercising.

So, if you feel depressed, overwhelmed, or under a lot of stress, you should talk to your doctor or a mental health professional about it.

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Talking, exercise, and meditation therapy are all activities that can replace the bad habits that cause your mental state to worsen..

This way, you’ll improve your mood and have more energy to take care of yourself.

8. Inhaling second-hand smoke

It might sound unfair, but this really can damage your heart even though it’s because of someone else’s bad habits! In fact, second-hand smoke could be even more harmful than the smoke you inhale directly from a cigarette. This smoke damages both your heart and your blood vessels.

If you have to spend time with someone who can’t stop smoking, ask them to at least not smoke near you or to not do it indoors (in the house, office, car, etc).

Plus, maybe with your help, they can drop this bad habit.