It’s American Heart Month: A Time to Take Action

American Heart Month is a chance to slow down and pay attention to your heart. Many heart issues start quietly—you may feel fine on the outside while small changes are happening inside.

The good news is that many types of heart disease are largely preventable, and small steps can make a big difference. In fact, it may be easier than you think to “put your heart” into your daily routine:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Most of us could benefit from reducing salt or adding one more serving of veggies a day. You can try whole fruits, dried fruits, or raw vegetables. Herbs and spices make great substitutes for salt.

• Keep a healthy weight. Excess weight can result in fatty materials building up in arteries, potentially leading to a heart attack. If you need to lose weight, choose healthy foods and make time for regular exercise.

• Get regular exercise. Aim for 2.5 to 5 hours a week to lower your chances of developing high blood pressure and to help maintain a healthy weight. Even small steps help: you can choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand at your desk instead of sitting, or park a walk away from your destination. Any exercise that gets your heart beat up counts!

• Get quality sleep. If possible, aim for at least 7–9 hours of sleep each night. If that’s difficult, catching up on sleep over the weekend can help—new research suggests that this can lower the risk of calcium build-up in heart arteries, an early sign of heart disease.

• Quit smoking and vaping. Any amount of smoking, even if it’s light or occasional, damages your heart and blood vessels. Make a list of the reasons you want to quit, select a quit date, and talk to a healthcare provider about resources that can help.

• Test your blood pressure. Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, which is the most preventable risk factor for heart disease. If that’s you, it’s even more important to follow the guidelines above. Your doctor can also prescribe medications that can help.

Looking for more you could be doing?

Your DNA is one more tool to understand your heart health. The Genomic Life membership includes access to the Genetic Health Screen, which can reveal if you have a higher-than-average risk of inherited heart conditions that could, for example, affect your heart muscle or your heart rhythm. If you do, you can work with your doctors to start risk reduction strategies early, before a serious event. Learn more.

References

1.) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health. Take Action for Your Heart. Fact Sheet. Published January 2024. Accessed December 24, 2025 at: Link. 2.) EJF Peixoto de Miranda, BK Parise, RB Santos et al. Weekend Sleep Extension, Social Jetlag, and Incidence of Coronary Calcium Score. Sleep, Volume 48, Issue 5, May 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaf039.