Researchers in Australia, Chile, and Brazil found that just 11 extra minutes of nightly sleep, an additional 4.5 minutes of brisk walking, and increasing daily vegetable intake by at least 50 grams each help reduce the risk of heart disease by 10%. That includes daily protection against heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
The team reached this conclusion after analyzing UK Biobank data on the health and lifestyles of 53,000 middle-aged people.
The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, of the European Society of Cardiology, published the results of the eight-year study.
Tiny daily habit changes that actually protect your heart
Researchers examined volunteers’ sleep patterns and physical activity levels using data collected from smart devices. Participants also regularly reported changes in their eating habits.
During the study period, 2,034 volunteers experienced major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks. The scientists analyzed the causes and identified optimal lifestyle changes that lowered the risk of such incidents by 57%. These include a healthy diet, 8–9 hours of nightly sleep, and at least 42 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity.
They also found a “clinically meaningful” combination of behaviors that prevent cardiovascular disease: increasing sleep duration, improving diet, and boosting physical activity (both vigorous and moderate). According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), moderate activity includes brisk walking, dancing, mowing the lawn, aqua aerobics, and cycling. Examples of vigorous activity include running, swimming, jumping rope, and aerobics.
Why this study matters
“We showed that combining small changes across several areas of life has a surprisingly positive effect on cardiovascular health,” said Dr. Nicholas Koemel, a research fellow at the University of Sydney and the study’s lead author. He added that several modest, combined changes are more achievable for most people than making major changes in any one area.
Meanwhile, Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, another lead author from the University of Sydney and Monash University, said, “We plan to use these results to develop new digital tools that will help people make positive lifestyle changes and build lasting healthy habits.”
Emily McGrath, a cardiologist at the British Heart Foundation, commented, “Change can sometimes feel overwhelming or hard to fit into our busy schedules. This study is encouraging because it shows that changes don’t have to be large. Small adjustments—for example, a bit more sleep, a few extra minutes of activity during the day, or eating more vegetables—can add up to benefit heart health.”
