Taking care of your heart may be one of the best ways to take care of your entire body.
A new review from Emory University, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed nearly 500 studies and found that heart-healthy habits aren’t just good for preventing heart disease, they also help protect your brain, lungs, muscles, vision, hearing and more. People who follow these habits are less likely to develop chronic conditions like cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia and depression. They also tend to report better sleep, lower stress and fewer physical limitations as they age.
“While we recently learned that heart-health and brain health are closely tied, in this review we found that almost every organ system and bodily function from head to toe benefit from a heart-healthy lifestyle,” said lead author Liliana Aguayo, PhD, MPH, of Emory’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
The habits in question come from the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™, which includes:
Eating a healthy diet
Being physically active
Not smoking
Getting enough sleep
Managing weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
These practices were linked not only to fewer illnesses, but also to lower medical costs and better quality of life. The findings also highlight the importance of making progress, not perfection. Even small improvements in sleep, diet or physical activity made a difference.
The researchers say more work is needed to better understand these effects in children, pregnant women and other underrepresented groups. But for now, the takeaway is clear: Heart health doesn’t just help you live longer; it helps you live better.
This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.