Carlos Solis
Researchers in Australia, Chile, and Brazil found that adding just 11 minutes of sleep a night, 4.5 minutes of brisk walking, or at least 50 grams more vegetables a day can each lower heart disease risk by about 10%. That reduces the daily risk of 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 participants.
The European Journal of Preventive 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 those events and identified lifestyle changes that reduced participants’ 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 identified a “clinically meaningful” combination of behaviors that help 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 combining several modest changes is easier for most people than making a major change 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.”
