Stephen Sinatra, MD, cardiologist and best-selling author of, “Heartbreak and Heart Disease,” says certain unsuspecting bad habits could weigh more heavily on the heart than you realize. Of course, there are many well-known bad habits for the heart such as drinking too much alcohol, not exercising, smoking and eating unhealthy foods, but there are some other lesser-known bad habits that can negatively affect heart health as well. Dr. Sinatra shares ideas to keep us healthy.
Going to Bed After Midnight
A new study, published in the European Heart Journal—Digital Health in November 2021, found that going to bed between 10 -11 p.m. is linked with a lower risk of developing heart disease compared to earlier or later bedtimes. The researchers found that the rate of heart disease was highest in people who went to bed at midnight or late. You need at least seven hours of sleep a night. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in three American adults say they don’t get this much. The American Heart Association also says that people who sleep less than six hours a night are at a higher risk for high blood pressure.
Wearing Shoes All the Time
Going barefoot and grounding (also known as earthing) is an amazingly simple concept that involves nothing more than reconnecting the human body with the energy naturally present in the ground we walk on. Dozens of studies on grounding have proven beyond any doubt that becoming grounded has significant positive effects on our physiology and heart health. Grounding’s many physical benefits—particularly those that lead to a healthy heart—include: decrease in inflammation and an improvement or elimination of the symptoms associated with many inflammation-related disorders, including heart disease; lowered stress and increased calmness in the body by moderating heart rate variability, nervous system activity, and stress hormone secretion; and improved efficiency of the cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems.
Being a Loner
More than one-third of adults 45 and older are lonely, and nearly one-fourth of those 65-plus are considered to be socially isolated, research shows. This circumstance is often terrible for your health, including your heart. It’s so important to have a group of friends and family to lean on and if you don’t, then actively work to “build a network of support” to help you along the way.
Breaking bad habits and starting good ones is hard to do, but Dr. Sinatra says making small changes that you can sustain for a long period is much more important than making bigger changes that may be more difficult to maintain. To counter these bad heart health habits Dr. Sinatra recommends: Dr. Sinatra these simple but powerful healthy habits will greatly benefit your heart health.
• Going to bed by 10 p.m.;
• Going barefoot and connecting with the earth; and
• Spending more time with family and friends
Learn more about Dr. Sinatra here: www.drsinatra.com/
Dr. Sinatra talks with Mark Alyn on this episode. You can listen here:
Listen to Dr. Sinatra and Mark here:
