Your risk of experiencing heart-related issues such as a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure can be influenced by a variety of factors, many of which are linked to lifestyle choices that can be modified. A recent study highlights three simple improvements in sleep, diet, and physical activity that could make a significant difference.
Conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney, the study explored how the combined impact of these three lifestyle changes affects cardiovascular health. Previous studies have already shown their individual benefits for heart health.
Analyzing data from 53,242 participants, with an average age of 63, researchers found that increasing sleep by 11 minutes, engaging in an additional 4.5 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and consuming a quarter cup more of vegetables daily could lead to a 10 percent reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events over eight years, such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
While the study does not establish a causal relationship, the data suggested a positive link between these behaviors and a decreased overall risk, offering further evidence that small lifestyle changes can contribute to better health outcomes.
“We show that combining small changes in a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health,” says nutritional scientist Nicholas Koemel from the University of Sydney.
“This is very encouraging news because making a few small, combined changes is likely more achievable and sustainable for most people when compared with attempting major changes in a single behavior.”
Data for the study were collected using wearable devices for sleep and activity tracking, as well as questionnaires for dietary habits. The researchers also considered other significant risk factors such as age, sex, and smoking and drinking habits.
For those aiming for more significant improvements, the study suggests an optimal combination of 8-9 hours of sleep per night, 42 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, and a high diet quality score. This optimal lifestyle was associated with a 57 percent reduction in major cardiovascular events over eight years compared to the least healthy profiles observed in the study.
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can include activities such as brisk walking, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries. Diet quality was assessed based on greater consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains while reducing intake of processed meats and sugary drinks.
Importantly, the study highlights how these three factors—sleep, exercise, and diet—interconnect and influence each other, with better exercise potentially leading to improved sleep. This analysis offers fresh insights into how these healthier behaviors collectively impact disease risk.
“We plan to build on these findings to develop new digital tools that support people in making positive lifestyle changes and establish sustained healthy habits,” says epidemiologist and senior author Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney.
“This will involve working closely with community members to make sure the tools are easy to use and can address the barriers we all face in making tweaks to our day-to-day routines.”
Related: Ozempic-Like Drugs May Help Prevent Damage After a Heart Attack
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and experts continue to investigate the contributing factors and risks. Understanding how major cardiovascular events occur and improving prediction methods are pressing needs.
Currently, many warning signs of heart health issues can be detected early. These new findings contribute to our understanding of practical ways to reduce heart health risks. Integrating several risk factors shows that even minor, achievable changes can be beneficial.
“Making even modest shifts in our daily routines is likely to have cardiovascular benefits as well as create opportunities for further changes in the long run,” Koemel states.
“I would encourage people not to overlook the importance of making a small change or two to your daily routine, no matter how small they may seem.”
The research has been published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
