Keeping your heart healthy comes down to a handful of habits that work together: eating well, moving regularly, sleeping enough, and knowing your numbers. None of these require extreme effort, but consistency matters more than intensity. Here’s what actually makes a difference, with the specific targets worth aiming for.
Move at Least 150 Minutes a Week
The baseline recommendation for adults is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity. Moderate means brisk walking, cycling on flat ground, or swimming at a comfortable pace. Vigorous means running, cycling uphill, or anything that makes it hard to hold a conversation. You can also mix both types. For additional cardiovascular benefits, doubling to 300 minutes of moderate activity per week is the next target.
These guidelines apply equally to adults over 65. The key is spreading activity throughout the week rather than cramming it into one or two sessions, which helps keep blood pressure lower on a day-to-day basis.
Exercise alone doesn’t cancel out prolonged sitting, though. A 2024 study from Mass General Brigham found that sedentary behavior exceeding about 10.6 hours a day was associated with a 40 to 60 percent greater risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death, regardless of how much someone exercised. If you work at a desk, breaking up long stretches of sitting with even a few minutes of standing or walking makes a measurable difference.
What to Eat (and What to Limit)
A heart-healthy diet isn’t about eliminating entire food groups. It centers on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and lean proteins while limiting saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. The dietary pattern matters more than any single food. People who follow a Mediterranean-style or DASH-style eating pattern consistently show lower rates of heart disease.
One specific, actionable target: aim for 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, lentils, apples, and flaxseed, can lower total and LDL cholesterol by 5 to 11 points, sometimes more. A bowl of oatmeal has about 2 grams, a cup of cooked lentils has about 4 grams, so reaching that range is realistic without supplements.
For sodium, most heart health guidelines recommend staying under 2,300 milligrams a day, with an ideal target closer to 1,500 milligrams for people with elevated blood pressure. The bulk of sodium in most diets comes from processed and restaurant food, not the salt shaker. Reading labels and cooking more meals at home are the two most effective ways to cut intake.
On alcohol, the guidance has shifted. Previous recommendations set limits at two drinks a day for men and one for women. Current U.S. dietary guidance has moved away from specific drink counts and now simply states that consuming less alcohol is better for overall health. Even moderate drinking raises blood pressure and can trigger irregular heart rhythms in some people, so there’s no amount that’s actively good for your heart.
Know Your Blood Pressure Numbers
Blood pressure is one of the strongest predictors of heart disease, and the thresholds are tighter than many people realize. Updated 2025 guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology define the categories as follows:
- Normal: below 120/80 mm Hg
- Elevated: 120 to 129 systolic with diastolic still below 80
- Stage 1 hypertension: 130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic
Many people with stage 1 hypertension feel perfectly fine, which is why it often goes undetected for years. If your readings consistently land in the elevated range, lifestyle changes alone (more exercise, less sodium, better sleep) can often bring them back to normal. Once you cross into stage 1, your doctor will assess your overall risk profile to decide whether medication is warranted or whether lifestyle changes get a trial period first.
Understand Your Cholesterol
There’s no single “normal” LDL cholesterol number that applies to everyone. Your ideal target depends on your overall risk. For some people, an LDL below 100 mg/dL is the goal. For those at higher risk of heart attack or stroke, the target drops to 70 or even 55 mg/dL. Lower is generally better when it comes to LDL, because it’s the type that builds up in artery walls over time.
HDL cholesterol, often called the “good” cholesterol, is no longer treated as a standalone target. The American Heart Association now advises against interpreting HDL on its own as a measure of heart disease risk. What matters more is the full picture: your LDL level, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, and lifestyle factors combined.
If your cholesterol is borderline, the soluble fiber strategy above is one of the few dietary changes with strong, measurable effects on LDL. Regular aerobic exercise also helps by modestly raising HDL and lowering triglycerides.
Sleep 7 to 9 Hours a Night
Sleep is often the overlooked pillar of heart health. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that people sleeping fewer than 6 hours or 9 hours and above had significantly lower odds of ideal cardiovascular health compared to those sleeping 7 to just under 8 hours. The sweet spot of 7 to 9 hours was also associated with better blood sugar control, more physical activity, and lower smoking rates, suggesting that adequate sleep supports the other heart-healthy habits too.
During deep sleep, your blood pressure naturally dips, giving your heart and blood vessels a period of recovery. Chronically short sleep disrupts this cycle, keeping blood pressure elevated around the clock. If you struggle with sleep quality, consistent wake times, limiting caffeine after noon, and keeping your bedroom cool tend to have the biggest impact.
Stop Smoking (or Never Start)
Smoking damages the lining of your arteries, raises blood pressure, reduces the oxygen your blood can carry, and makes blood more likely to clot. It is the single most preventable cause of heart disease. The benefits of quitting start almost immediately: within 24 hours, blood pressure begins to drop. Within a year, your excess risk of coronary heart disease falls to about half that of a current smoker. Within 5 to 15 years, stroke risk returns to that of a nonsmoker.
When Screening Makes Sense
Standard heart health screening includes blood pressure checks, cholesterol panels, and blood sugar tests. Most adults should have these reviewed regularly starting in their 20s for blood pressure and their 30s or 40s for cholesterol, though your doctor may start earlier if you have risk factors like a family history of early heart disease, diabetes, or obesity.
A more specialized test, a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, uses a CT scanner to detect calcium deposits in your heart’s arteries, an early sign of plaque buildup. Global guidelines recommend considering this scan for asymptomatic adults over 40 who fall into an intermediate risk category. For people under 40, it’s reserved for those with multiple major risk factors or a family history of premature heart disease. Conditions that push someone toward earlier or more aggressive screening include chronic kidney disease, inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, a history of preeclampsia, premature menopause, and persistently elevated LDL above 160 mg/dL.
A CAC score of zero is reassuring and typically means your 10-year risk of a heart event is very low. A score above zero doesn’t mean a heart attack is imminent, but it does signal that plaque has started forming and that aggressive risk factor management is worthwhile.