Updated: January 2025
The human heart may not be the largest organ in the body, but it is undoubtedly one of the most important. It pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues while removing carbon dioxide and waste products.
A healthy heart is essential for a healthy life, and there are simple, effective steps you can take to keep it in top condition.
Dr. Lawrence Phillips, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, explains, “The body’s tissues need a constant supply of nutrition to be active. And if the heart is not able to supply blood to the organs and tissues, they will die.”
How to Keep Your Heart Healthy
The heart is the center of the cardiovascular system and is responsible for sustaining life. As Proverbs 4:23 (HCSB) reminds us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.”
Taking care of your heart is a responsibility we all share.
Below are ten simple yet impactful steps to maintain a healthy heart.
1. Be Physically Active Every Day
Regular physical activity strengthens your heart and improves circulation. You don’t need a formal exercise routine; simply integrate movement into your daily activities. For example:
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walk or bike to work if possible.
- Stand up and stretch every 30 minutes if you have a desk job.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity weekly exercise. Even small changes, like brisk walking or gardening, can make a big difference.
2. Prioritize Quality Sleep
Sleep is essential for overall health, including heart health. Studies have shown that less than six hours of sleep per night can increase your risk of heart disease, regardless of age, weight, or exercise habits.
How much sleep do you need? Most adults require 7–9 hours per night. Establish a consistent bedtime routine, limit screen time before bed, and create a relaxing sleep environment to improve your rest.
3. Maintain a Heart-Healthy Diet
What you eat has a direct impact on your heart. Here are two key dietary changes to focus on:
- Reduce Salt Intake: Excess sodium causes water retention, which increases blood pressure and puts extra strain on your heart. Limit processed foods and opt for fresh ingredients.
- Increase Antioxidants: Antioxidants combat free radicals, reducing the risk of heart disease. Add fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish to your meals. The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of a heart-healthy eating plan.
4. Avoid Smoking and Secondhand Smoke
Smoking damages the inner lining of blood vessels, leading to hardened arteries (atherosclerosis). This condition reduces blood flow to the heart, increasing the risk of heart attacks.
Even exposure to secondhand smoke can harm your arteries and raise your risk of cardiovascular disease.
If you’re a smoker, quitting is the single best thing you can do for your heart. Seek support from friends, family, or healthcare providers to help you quit for good.
5. Laugh More
Laughter truly is good for the heart! Studies show that laughter improves blood vessel function and promotes better blood flow, reducing the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
Find time for humor every day, whether through funny movies, books, or time spent with loved ones.
6. Manage Stress Effectively
Chronic stress can harm your heart by raising cortisol levels, which increase blood pressure and trigger inflammation.
According to the American Heart Association, mindfulness practices like meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce stress. Yoga, tai chi, or even journaling are also great ways to manage your mental well-being and keep your heart healthy.
7. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is crucial for heart health, as dehydration can cause blood volume to decrease, making the heart work harder to pump oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 8–12 cups of water daily, depending on your activity level and climate. Carry a reusable water bottle to ensure consistent hydration throughout the day.
8. Monitor and Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels
High blood pressure and cholesterol are silent threats to heart health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises getting regular check-ups to monitor these levels. To maintain healthy blood pressure (under 120/80 mmHg) and cholesterol (LDL below 100 mg/dL), follow a diet rich in fiber and healthy fats, and stay physically active.
Consult your doctor about medications if necessary.
9. Limit Alcohol Consumption
Drinking in moderation is key to protecting your heart.
The AHA notes that excessive alcohol can lead to high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia. For heart health, women should limit alcohol to one drink per day, while men can have up to two.
If you have existing heart conditions, consult your doctor about alcohol consumption.
10. Build and Maintain Social Connections
Social isolation can increase stress hormones and inflammation, which negatively impact heart health.
Studies published in the journal Heart suggest that strong social networks can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Engage in activities with family and friends, join community groups, or volunteer to foster meaningful relationships and reduce feelings of loneliness.
The Bottom Line
Your heart works tirelessly to keep you alive, so it’s crucial to prioritize its health.
By incorporating these ten simple habits into your lifestyle, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall well-being.
Remember, even small changes can have a big impact over time.
Take the first step today: choose one of these tips and make it part of your routine. When you care for your heart, you care for your health.
Take charge of your heart health today!
After all, health is wealth!
Very useful information indeed! Some may think that they have to spend a lot of money in order to keep their heart healthy, but doing simple things everyday will do.
Being active everyday is one of the easiest tasks anyone can do to maintain a healthy heart. We just have to make a conscious choice to live healthy.
Thanks for sharing.
Doing the above things will keep our heart healthy.
One that I used to struggle with is getting enough sleep everyday but I have learned to find time because I know that sleep is important for my health.
Thanks for stopping by!
Excellent website Alice. Thanks for sharing so much useful information. I hope that you have more of this quality articles to share as I look forward to reading more of them.
My wife is quite good at keeping us healthy. Personally, I have given up a few of the bad habits I had when I was younger. Becoming older we are becoming wiser.
What I love about reading good websites like yours is to have the pleasure of seeing how good I have become.
Looking forward to your next post Alice.
John ツ
Hello John,
Thanks for visiting my site and I’m glad you found my post to be useful. Well, I must say that you are blessed for having a wife who is good at taking care of your health and well-being.
I will be sharing more tips and pointers on how to take care of our health in my succeeding posts. Thank you for your encouragement.
Love your post. I know for a fact that I only do 3 out of the 5 so I better get my act together. Your post is very informative and easy to read. You site is also very well organized. I can also totally agree with you that laughing is key to a health heart.
Hi Eddie, thanks for your comment. By the way, don’t feel so bad; practicing 3 out of the 5 is still better than not doing any of them at all.
Fantastic article. In fact, it is just what I need. My heart is ok. But my concerns causes me to worry about heart. I have copd. Which Infects the pulmonary system. That and a sedentary lifestyle are cases for me to take your advice. Thanks.
Hey Maurice, thanks for visiting. Glad to know that your heart is okay but not an excuse to neglect it.
Having an active lifestyle should be the most fun way to take care of our heart and stay healthy but it’s also one that most people don’t like to do. Physical inactivity has been shown to be a major risk factor for heart diseases.
I love your quote: “health is wealth!” That is so true. If you are not healthy and feeling good–nothing else matters. Taking care of your heart is essential for optimal health.
Although we all know the old proverb, “Health is wealth” most people don’t really give their health much attention until such time that they start exhibiting signs and symptoms of a disease.
Taking care of our health should always be one of our priorities because like you said, if we are not healthy, nothing else matters; we will never live life to the fullest.
Such great information Alice. As someone who has high blood pressure and had a father who had a heart attack at the age of 25, I’ve always been aware of my health and physical well being. This article rings so true to me and good for you for putting such great information out there. Two things you taught me, I had no idea about enough sleep and laughter could help with the health of my heart. Thank you.
Hello Juan,
Your father having a heart attack at the age of 25 really does serve as a wake up call that anyone regardless of their age could be at risk of heart disease unless they start taking care of their health.
I believe in the old saying that “prevention is better than cure.” So before we even start manifesting some signs of a heart disease or any health problems, we must do all we can to stay healthy. It always pays to be health-conscious because in the long run we will enjoy the benefits.
And yes, laughter is not only good for the soul but for the heart as well so we should laugh more. Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV) says, “A merry heart does good like medicine…”
Take care of your heart and stay healthy!
A very well thought out guide to maintaining a healthy heart. I am at that age where I really do need to take care so your article was very meaningful to me. My family history of heart disease is not good either with my dad dying after his third heart attack at 53 and my Mum had her first at 47 however she was able to live on to be 82 but with little quality of life.
Your pictures all speak volumes too. I love the last one, laugh more. We all need to do more of that. Thankyou for an informative article and a wake up call to look after my own heart health.
Hi Judy
I’m so sorry to hear of your family history of heart disease. Sometimes, we need a constant reminder that our health comes first before other things because no matter how successful we become if we’re not healthy our heart is not healthy, then everything else becomes irrelevant.
So regardless of our age, we should take very good care of our heart because having a healthy heart makes a huge difference. And yes, we should laugh more often. We might be busy with so many things but we can always make time to bond with our family, friends and loved ones and enjoy a good laugh.