Your heart and blood vessels

What's happening

It's common for arteries to become stiffer over time. This causes the heart to work harder to pump blood through these blood vessels. The heart muscles change to adjust to the greater workload. Your heart rate at rest likely will stay about the same. But it won't rise during activities as much as it used to. These changes raise the risk of high blood pressure and other conditions related to the heart and blood vessels.

What you can do

To boost heart health:

• Move more. It's ideal to get some exercise each day. In general, aim to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week. Try brisk walking, swimming, dancing or other activities you enjoy. Regular physical activity can help you stay at a healthy weight and lower your heart disease risk.
• Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods and lean sources of protein such as fish. Fruits and vegetables are especially good for you, so aim to eat five total servings of them a day. For example, you could have three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit. And limit foods that are high in saturated fat, added sugar and salt.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Losing extra weight through diet and physical activity is good for the heart.
• Don't smoke. Smoking plays a part in the hardening of the arteries. It also raises the blood pressure and heart rate. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your healthcare professional to help you quit.
• Manage stress. Stress can take a toll on your heart. Take steps to lower stress, such as meditating, exercising or getting talk therapy.
• Get enough sleep. Get enough sleep. Good sleep plays a key role in the healing and repair of the heart and blood vessels. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.
• Take charge of other health conditions. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, work with your healthcare team to manage them. Without treatment, these conditions can affect heart health over time.