Take Action for Your Heart:

Get Started!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but it can often be prevented. 

Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can help you reduce the risk of heart disease and its risk factors. 

Take action to protect your heart by following these tips.

Get Enough Quality Sleep 

Lack of sleep or getting poor-quality sleep 

increases the risk of having high blood pressure, 

heart disease, and other medical conditions. 

● Try to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

● Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

● Exercise regularly, but 

not within 2-3 hours 

before bedtime.

● Avoid caffeine 

and nicotine.

Eat Better

A flexible and balanced eating plan can help 

lower your high blood pressure and improve 

your cholesterol.

● Follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension 

(DASH) eating plan, which can help you create a hearthealthy eating style for life.

● Read nutrition labels to pick the food lowest in saturated 

fat, sodium, and added sugars.

● Try a mix of lean cuts of meat, eat fish once or twice a 

week, and eat two or more meatless meals each week.

● Consider whole fruits, dried fruits, unsalted rice cakes, 

fat-free and low-fat yogurt, or raw vegetables as a snack.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for 

overall health and can help you prevent and 

control many diseases and conditions.

● Choose healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, yogurt, or 

nuts, instead of sugary or high-calorie snacks.

● Stay hydrated with water as your primary beverage.

● Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic 

exercise (such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorousintensity (like running) exercise per week.

● Consider keeping a log of what you eat throughout the day.

Be More Active

Getting enough physical activity helps to lower 

your risk of heart disease and stroke.

● Adults should spend at least 150 minutes (2 1⁄2 hours) 

each week doing physical activity.

● Sit less! Take the stairs. Park farther away. March in 

place or take a walk around the block.

● Try muscle-strengthening activities like lifting weights, 

working with resistance bands, doing sit-ups and pushups, or some forms of yoga—whatever works for you.

● If you don’t have a lot of time in your day, try being active 

for 10 minutes at a time. Anything that gets your heart 

beating faster counts!

Stop Smoking

Any amount of smoking, even light or occasional smoking, damages your heart and blood vessels.

● Select a quit date and write yourself a contract that outlines your plan for quitting.

● Talk with your healthcare provider about programs and products that can help you quit.

● Join a support group. Many hospitals, workplaces, and community groups offer classes 

to help people quit smoking.

● Call 1–800–QUIT–NOW and visit smokefree.gov to get additional support.

hearttruth.gov | 1
Control Cholesterol

Unhealthy levels of cholesterol can lead to 

high cholesterol, which increases the risk of 

developing heart disease.

● Try the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Program

which combines diet, physical activity, and weight 

management to help lower high blood cholesterol and 

improve heart health.

● Eat a heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fats, as 

these can raise LDL cholesterol levels.

● Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol—

more than two drinks a day 

for men or one drink a day for 

women—can raise your total 

cholesterol level.

Manage Stress 

Learning how to manage stress with healthy 

coping strategies helps improve your emotional 

and physical health. 

● Use relaxation techniques that combine breathing and 

focused attention on pleasing thoughts and images to 

calm the mind and body.

● Consider meditation, as it can help to lower stress.

● Take a yoga class to help lower stress and improve 

mindfulness. It may also offer you a supportive community.

Manage Blood Sugar

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial 

for heart health, especially for people with 

diabetes or those at risk of developing diabetes. 

● Eat a diet rich in whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, 

whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

● Monitor your carbohydrate intake and choose complex 

carbohydrates, like whole grains and legumes, to help 

control blood sugar levels.

● Talk to your healthcare provider about how often you 

should check your blood sugar levels, especially if you 

have diabetes.

Control Blood Pressure

Keep your blood pressure in a healthy range 

and keep track of your numbers. Blood pressure 

that’s consistently higher than 130/80 mm Hg 

can cause serious health problems.

● Have your blood pressure checked each time you visit the 

doctor.

● Use a blood pressure monitor to measure your blood 

pressure at home and learn how to measure it correctly.

● Use a blood pressure tracker to keep a record of your 

numbers each reading.

● If you’re pregnant or planning to be, it’s especially 

important to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

Practice Self-Care & Find Social Support

Daily acts of self-care can benefit your heart because self-care is heart care. Studies show that 

having positive social support, close relationships, and feeling connected to others makes it easier 

to stick to heart-healthy habits.

● Try to do at least one positive action for your heart health each day.

● Make the doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off.

● Ask family and friends to text you reminders or encouragement to help you meet your health goals.

● Join an exercise class or a weight management group to connect with other like-minded people and stay motivated.

For more information about how you can take action 

to keep your heart healthy, visit hearttruth.gov

NIH Publication No. 24-HL-8218 

January 2024 | 2