Heart Health: Habits To Add To Your Daily Routine
Can healthy heart habits – the positive lifestyle decisions you make on a daily basis – really improve your heart health?
While it’s common to believe that your heart health is written in your genetics and cannot be changed (no matter how many nights of good sleep you get, or how balanced your diet is), there’s actually lots you can do to improve your cardiovascular health and help mitigate your risk of cardiovascular disease.
In fact, researchers have gone one step further to prove this. Looking at over 5,600 individuals, they analysed whether Life’s Essential 8 (a score based on eight key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health) helps people live longer and age better.
The Eight Healthy Heart Habits
The researchers found that people with better scores had a 35% lower risk of developing heart disease, and a 29% lower risk of dying from any disease. The effect was even stronger in people whose genetics made them age faster. In those individuals, 39% of the reduced heart disease risk and the 79% reduced risk of dying from any cause could be explained by slowing biological ageing.
The overall finding was that a healthier lifestyle leads to a lower disease and death risk, even in those whose genetics put them at a higher risk of early ageing.
This seems like an obvious conclusion – so why isn’t every individual making better choices to lower their risk of CVD? Professor Daniel Augustine, Consultant Cardiologist at One Heart Clinic, and specialist in sports cardiology explains:
“One reason is that heart disease can often be silent, meaning people believe they are already healthy and don’t need to make any changes to their lifestyle until they undergo a routine check, or serious symptoms develop later down the line. Although it’s never too late to start caring for your heart, we encourage being proactive about your heart health as early in life as possible. By adopting a preventative approach and making small and sustainable lifestyle choices, you can help prevent CVD and improve your chances of living a longer, healthier life.”
What Habits Keep Your Heart Healthy?
“Make healthier choices” is often the advice we hear when starting a journey towards better health – but what does this actually mean? Healthier choices are the everyday behaviours that increase your odds of feeling well now and in the long term. They don’t need to be perfect, and you don’t need to overhaul your life, but they should be sustainable (meaning you can include them in your daily routine without stress or resistance) and informed (meaning they come from a reputable medical source).
Here are some positive lifestyle changes that can make a difference to your heart health.
1. Adopting A Balanced, Colourful Diet
Food is one of the most important tools you have for protecting your heart. Plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, nuts and seeds form the foundations of a heart-friendly plate.
To this, you can add lean proteins such as chicken, fish or tofu, and choose healthy fats like olive oil and avocado over processed or fried alternatives.
Overall, consider adding more fibre and whole foods to your diet, reducing salt and sugar consumption, and eating fewer processed foods. With these changes, you can gradually shift your cholesterol, blood sugar and inflammation in the right direction.
2. Walking For Heart Health
Exercise can improve your circulation, help maintain healthy arteries, and boost your mood. However, you don’t need to start running marathons to support your heart.
For Heart Month 2026, organisers are encouraging people to walk regularly. Regular brisk walks (where you become slightly out of breath) lasting 10–15 minutes are linked to a 43% decreased risk of developing heart rhythm abnormalities, which are associated with heart attack and stroke risk.
“Start small. Build up your walking regime in bite-sized chunks and make it enjoyable — such as by listening to a playlist or podcast, or walking with a friend. Increasing the amount of aerobic activity that you do, starting off by walking, will have great benefits to your cardiovascular health, including better blood pressure control, better glucose control (especially if you have diabetes), improved HDL cholesterol, and reduced triglyceride levels.”
— Professor Daniel Augustine
3. Avoiding Smoking
Cigarettes damage your arteries, raise blood pressure and accelerate plaque build-up, making them one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
If you smoke, seek help with nicotine replacements, apps, peer support or medication. Even reducing rather than quitting outright is a strong first step.
4. Prioritising Quality Sleep
Sleep is the nightly repair window for your cardiovascular system. Adults generally need 7–9 hours, and short or broken sleep can raise blood pressure, disrupt appetite-regulating hormones and push your body into stress mode.
Try a wind-down routine: dim evening light, avoid screens late in the evening, and limit caffeinated drinks to the morning.
5. Maintaining A Healthy Weight
Weight is only one part of the picture, but excess fat — particularly around the middle — increases the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
If you plan to lose weight, aim to do so safely and sustainably. Focus on gradually reducing snacking and portion sizes, and make healthier swaps using the dietary guidance above.
Signs Of Potential Heart Problems
Heart issues can build quietly over time, which is why noticing early warning signs matters alongside key prevention techniques.
Symptoms vary from person to person, but certain changes are common. Shortness of breath during everyday activities, tightness of pressure in the chest, and unexplained fatigue can all signal that the heart is working harder than it should.
Pain, heaviness or discomfort spreading into the jaw, back, neck or arms (especially on the left side) is another key sign that should never be ignored.
Other symptoms include palpitations (a fluttering or racing heartbeat), dizziness, swelling in the ankles or feet, or sudden weight gain caused by fluid retention. Anyone experiencing these symptoms, especially if they appear suddenly or worsen, should seek medical advice right away.
Frequently Asked Questions About Heart Health And Lifestyle
It’s important not to cause yourself unnecessary stress and health anxiety, but instead be conscious and proactive about your health. Building healthy habits now supports your heart, energy levels and long-term wellbeing, even if you currently feel well.
You don’t need HIIT or marathons. Something is better than nothing. Guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate movement per week: brisk walking, swimming, gardening, dancing or anything that gets your heart rate up. Break it into ten-minute blocks if that’s easier. Studies have shown that those who run for as little as 7 minutes can reduce their cardiac risk.
Yes – in moderation. It’s not about perfection, it’s about balance. Fill most meals with fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins and healthy fats, then enjoy treats mindfully. Restrictive diets are harder to stick to; flexible ones last.
Chronic stress raises blood pressure, increases inflammation and can drive emotional eating and poor sleep. You don’t need hour-long meditations. Two minutes of slow breaths, a short walk or closing your eyes between tasks helps.
Yes, genes can raise risk, but lifestyle still makes a huge difference. Studies show healthy habits can offset genetic risk, helping people with high hereditary risk live longer and healthier lives.
Your GP can help assess this using weight, waist size, blood pressure and cholesterol, none of which tell the full story alone. Focus on how you feel, how your clothes fit and whether daily habits feel sustainable.
While vaping may expose the body to fewer toxins, it’s not harmless for heart and lung health. Quitting nicotine altogether is best. GPs, stop-smoking services and nicotine replacement therapies offer proven, non-judgemental support.
Begin Your Journey To A Healthier Heart
Building healthy heart habits is not about perfection or making big, unsustainable changes overnight. The research shows that simple routines like eating well, moving more, sleeping properly and keeping an eye on key health markers, can make a real difference to your long-term wellbeing. By acting now rather than waiting for warning signs, you give your heart the best chance to age well and keep doing its job for decades to come.
If you would like support on that journey, One Heart Clinic offers preventative packages designed for people who want to take a proactive approach to cardiovascular health. No matter your age, we’ve designed our screening packages around you to give you a well-rounded picture of your heart health for peace of mind. Learn more about our Healthy Heart Screening For Under 40s and Healthy Heart Screening For Under 40s packages. From expert guidance to state-of-the-art assessment, you can take practical steps today that will extend your healthspan and improve your quality of life.
Take The Next Step Towards A Healthier Heart
Book an appointment using our simple online form, call us on 020 3983 8001, or find out more about our preventative packages here
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