It is important to live healthy and happy. Isn’t that what life is about? February is National Heart Health Month, and maybe it is a great time to look at how we are living. Are we living to have a healthy lifestyle and longevity? Below are some tips to help you evaluate your heart health to make living a joy! 

6 Tips to a Health Heart

Stay Active

It goes without saying that staying active is better for your heart and your mind. If you are busy or have a hard time trying to fit fitness in, just walk around your house or apartment for 10 minutes every hour or two. It is just a little time and you will feel more alert and your heart will thank you too! You should strive to get 30 minutes of activity a day. It is not impossible and you can do it in 10 minute increments to make it fun and break up the exercise and the day. Sometimes the best activities are with friends and family. Invite someone to join you for a walk or go to a museum together and get your steps in that way. There are countless ways to stay active and social. Be creative and go for it! Your heart will thank you. 

Get Proper Sleep

Over and over again, people say get more rest. Just how much is enough? Typically, according to the Mayo Clinic, you should get seven plus hours of sleep a night. As you age, it sometimes takes more time to fall asleep and you have shorter spans of continued sleep. However, getting up and trying to go to bed at the same time gives you a nice pattern and helps with your sleep and your heart. 

Watch Stress

Stress can be dangerous on many levels and especially to your heart. You need to come up with ways to deal with stress that helps keep your heart healthy and your mind relaxed. Try a yoga class or breathing techniques when you feel stress tighten down on your body and mind. Stress is hard on the  heart but it also affects people differently. Therefore what works for you many not work for others. Find the best stress reliever for you whether that is a walk in nature, reading a book or just relaxing in a chair with music. Everyone has stress and the best way to keep your heart healthy is deal with the stress YOUR WAY! 

Don’t Smoke

Simply put, smoking is bad. It is hard on your lungs and your heart and blood vessels. There is no win with smoking even if only occasionally and light. It is not good for you and will not help your heart health at all. Quit. Join a support group or give yourself a quit day and reward yourself when you do it! The benefits to your health are immense.

Check Cholesterol

The bottomline is unhealthy cholesterol can lead to an unhealthy heart and lots of health issues. If you have or close to high cholesterol, get with a group and there are many to help you work on diet, physical activity and weight control to get your cholesterol under management so you can have a healthy life and be comfortable living the next chapter of living. Practice eating for a healthy heart and limit your alcohol to help lower your cholesterol. 

Keep An Eye on Sugar

Keeping your blood sugar levels is vital for a healthy heart and if you are at risk or have diabetes, it is very crucial to keep the sugar levels in check. How do you keep sugar levels under control? Try to maintain a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates like legumes and whole grains. It can be tricky when you want to eat some delicious dessert, but remember a little goes a long way and try to stay the course of eating healthy. 
Heart Health is important and you need to be on top of your game as you age to maintain a healthy heart. Navigating the aging process is not easy and as mentioned before, not a one stop shop of solutions either. Learning the best method of care for your aging loved ones is not always easy. If you have more questions or concerns about your aging parents, contact Ann Jamison at Senior Living Options. Ann is experienced with aging adults and how to find the best living arrangements or resources for your parents at each chapter of the aging process. She has been a caregiver and has expert advice to help you have a positive experience while helping mom or dad move to the next chapter of living a full and purposeful life.

Author: Ann Jamison

Ann Jamison is an experienced senior advisor who has successfully worked with hundreds of families to help them find the best care and home-like environment for themselves or their loved ones. Prior to launching Senior Living Options, Ann was an eldercare advisor for a national placement agency and served as sales director at a senior living community. Thanks to her 25-year career in advertising sales and marketing, Ann is able to discern between hype and reality for her clients. Ann recognizes that there are objective factors that need to be weighed when making a life-changing decision, but she can also assess the important softer attributes by getting to know her clients and by using the gut instincts that can only come through extended experience.