5 Lesser-known Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Fact - Heart Attacks don't always strike

randomly

There are certain critical risk factors that can aggravate heart attacks & heart disease. While many of these, such as

smoking & an unhealthy diet, are quite well-known, there are certain lesser-known factors that can also pose as an

equally dangerous risk to your heart’s health.

1. Too Much Stress

It is no secret that our lives are becoming far more stressful every day. Chronic stress elevates adrenaline and cortisol, which makes blood sugar rise and hardens arteries & blood vessels. All this leads to an increased risk to the heart.

What You Can Do:• Meditation• Yoga• Exercise• Stay positive. People who maintain an upbeat attitude are less

likely to fall prey to heart disease• Unplug. Take time each day—even if it's for just 10 or 15 minutes—

to escape from the world.

Getting a good night’s sleep is an essential factor in maintaining a healthy heart. As we sleep, our systems are hard at work restoring DNA, generating antioxidants, & replenishing essential nutrient levels. Recent research has shown that getting seven or more hours of sleep a night (when accompanied with other heart-healthy factors such as diet & lifestyle) reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by nearly 20 percent.

What You Can Do:

• Make a good night’s sleep a priority• Remove distractions such as TV, cellphones etc. from the sleeping area• Stick to a regularly scheduled bed time

2. Inadequate Sleep

3. Too Little Happiness

It is a fact that optimistic, happy people look forward to a long future and tend to sustain themselves with healthier lifestyles. A recent study asked a group of people at risk for heart disease to participate in an evaluation that measured well-being, optimism, and life satisfaction. The results proved conclusively that the happiest and most optimistic people had one-third the heart disease risk of the others. Additionally, in high-risk heart patients, a high well-being score decreased the risk of heart disease by half.

What You Can Do:

• Focus on the positive aspects in your life• Let go of negative feelings such as anger & jealousy• Find time to do things that make you happy, like listening to favourite music,

spending time with loved ones, etc.

4. Excessive Air Pollution

Air pollution is one of the major global issues we are facing today. But what many are unaware of is that it is a major issue that contributes to cardiac disease too. Chemicals in polluted air aggravate inflammation & infection in the body and promote oxidation, the rusting of important organs, including the heart. Studies have found that increases in traffic pollution and noise have been linked to a significant increase in heart disease-related deaths in recent years.

What You Can Do:

• Keep away from secondhand smoke• Keep a distance from the exhaust of motor vehicles • Avoid situations in which the air quality is poor

5. Premature Menopause

Early menopause, which can occur at the age of 45 or younger, is another potential risk factor for heart disease in women. The probability of suffering from a cardiovascular disease is doubled for women who reach menopause early. This is due to the fact that estrogen levels fall during menopause, which can increase the risk of heart disease.

What You Can Do:

• Exercise regularly• Take multivitamin supplements for heart health• Eat healthy & non-inflammatory foods to lower the risk of heart disease