6 workday habits that keep your heart healthy

How to keep your heart healthy during the work week 

Eating right, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and managing stress - many of us have heard this before. But while we want to avoid cardiovascular diseases such as doença cardíaca, heart attacks, and derrame, juggling a hectic work and home life often takes priority. 

Yet, only focusing on how to keep your heart healthy at the weekends isn't typically going to be enough.

Experts tell us that each week you need to: 

• Exercise at moderate intensity for pelo menos 150 minutos por semana - or exercise at high intensity for at least 75 minutes a week. 

• Limit how much sugar, saturated fats, salt, and processed foods you eat every day. 

• Avoid or moderate unhealthy habits throughout the week - for example, 14 unidades de álcool é a ingestão máxima recomendada por semana, so long as it's spread over three or more days with several alcohol-free days, and no binge drinking. 

The bottom line? When it comes to your health, you can't undo the damage caused by an unhealthy work week by being extra good on Saturday and Sunday. 

These 6 daily activities prove that the little things we do can add up to make a significant difference to our health over time. 

People who regularly climb the stairs are 39% less likely to die from heart disease - and 24% less likely to die from any cause - according to a 2024 study presented at ESC Preventive Cardiology congress.  

The study, which included around 480,500 people, established a significant link between stair climbing and heart health.

Dr Sophie Paddock, study author from the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, says - whether you're at work, home or elsewhere - you should always take the stairs.

"Mesmo breves períodos de atividade física têm efeitos benéficos para a saúde, e pequenas sessões de subir escadas devem ser uma meta alcançável para incluir nas rotinas diárias," ela explica. "Com base nesses resultados, encorajaríamos as pessoas a incorporar subir escadas em suas vidas diárias."

Those 75 or 150 minutes of vigorous or moderate exercise a week can feel like a lot of extra time to make room for. While it is important to plan in a bit of time for some more intense action a couple of times a week - such as running or playing football - research shows that being active little and often also has an important accumulative effect. 

Don't sit for too long 

Many of us have sedentary jobs, meaning we're sitting down for most of the day. We don't exactly know why this is so bad for us, but it might be that not using our muscles often enough affects our blood vessels. In turn, this may affect blood pressure and sugar regulation. 

Find 11 minutes to walk - and don't look at your phone 

In 2023, a large study found that 11 minutes of brisk walking could help prevent heart disease, cancer, and 1 in 10 deaths worldwide. Bear in mind this is more than an easy-going stroll - walking briskly means your breathing and heart rate become faster. You may feel a bit sweaty, but you should still be able to hold a conversation. 

O fisioterapeuta e professor de medicina esportiva Dr. Laimonas Šiupšinskas recomenda que você aproveite qualquer parque adequado perto de sua casa ou local de trabalho. No entanto, tente não fazer multitarefas no seu telefone e mantenha o olhar para frente para sentir todos os benefícios para a saúde.

"Não pare de caminhar," diz o professor, "mas não se esqueça de que com a idade você deve adicionar exercícios de fortalecimento muscular três vezes por semana para manter seus músculos fortes e em forma."

When you grab a shop ready meal on your lunch break, you're less in control of what you're eating. Processed meals and snacks such as prepared wraps, crisps, and microwave options tend to contain a lot more fat, sugar and salt than home prepared options - and these can all affect your heart over time. 

We’re also less likely to make heart healthy food choices when we are already hungry, are feeling the stresses of the work day, or feel rushed. This is why preparing a packed lunch the night before - when you're full from dinner and in a more relaxed state - can help you to prioritise tasty ingredients that support heart health.

Por exemplo: 

• Foods naturally high in soluble fibre may help lower bad cholesterol - these include citrus fruits, sweet potato, aubergine, mango, beans, chickpeas and lentils. 

• Alimentos que contêm ácidos graxos ômega-3 podem combater a inflamação - these include walnuts, oily fish, sementes de chia, flax seeds and soybeans. 

By following these food group rules, you can help protect your heart.

This starts with forgetting or reserving the saturated fats for special occasions - for example, butter, fatty or processed meats and processed meals like pies.

Instead focus on: 

• Peixes oleosos - such as tuna and salmon. 

• Grãos integrais – such as brown rice and bulgur wheat. 

• Laticínios com baixo teor de gordura – such as natural yoghurt and cottage cheese. 

• Proteínas magras – such as chicken and lentils. 

• Alimentos ricos em fibras – such as sweet potato and beans. 

It's difficult to introduce a bunch of new recipes to your week if you are short on time or have a family of fussy eaters to feed. For times when you need to rely on your favourite meals, here are some easy and sneaky recipe swaps: 

Dedicating some time each day to relaxation - in whatever form that means to you - isn't time wasted, according to heart health experts. In a time when esgotamento - the word for work-related stress - is being called a major public health concern, making sure we calm our minds and nervous systems after a busy day has long-term benefits. 

If you're constantly in a state of stress - called long-term stress - this link becomes more direct. When you're stressed, you release adrenaline which raises your blood pressure. This is supposed to subside, but not in long-term stress.

One study found that people with transtorno de estresse pós-traumático (TEPT) - a heightened form of long-term stress - were more likely to develop pressão alta, obesidade, and heart disease. However, in those people with PTSD, lifestyle factors such as a smoking, poor diet and increased alcohol intake were also present - increasing their likelihood of having long term health problems.

Portanto, pode ser que todos esses fatores combinados aumentem essas chances.

What does your dental health have to do with your heart health? Researchers are finding that there's a strong connection between the two - and that people who have gum disease have a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and other serious heart problems.

Experts aren't exactly sure how, but they have some theories: 

• In gum disease, the bacteria that infect the gums can also travel to blood vessels, causing swelling (inflammation) and damage. This makes you more vulnerable to blood clots, stroke, and ataque cardíaco. 

• Instead of bacteria causing the problem, it's the body's immune response, inflammation, that alone causes the blood vessel damage. 

É até possível que não haja uma ligação direta entre doenças gengivais e doenças cardíacas — em vez disso, elas podem estar relacionadas por fatores terceiros que aumentam a probabilidade de ambos. Especialistas acreditam que fumar ou uma dieta não saudável podem ser esses fatores.

Regardless, usar fio dental is an effective way of removing plaque build-up and protecting your oral health. If it does hold long-term heart benefits, it’s an easy habit to slip into your bedtime routine.