Researchers say that making small changes to sleep, diet, and exercise habits can have a significant impact on heart health. Studies have shown that adding just 11 minutes of sleep per night, 5 minutes of physical activity per day, or a quarter-cup more vegetables per day can lower the risk of serious cardiovascular events by up to 10%.
Experts agree that these small changes are achievable and sustainable for most people, especially when combined with other healthy habits. The researchers found that people who get 8-9 hours of sleep per night, engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for 42 minutes a day, and have a moderate diet quality score have a 57% lower risk of major cardiovascular events.
The study’s lead author notes that “combining small changes in a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health.” This finding is encouraging for individuals who may feel overwhelmed by the idea of making drastic changes to their lifestyle.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/extra-sleep-physical-activity-lowers-heart-attack-stroke-risk