Depending on how old you are, you have heard the jokes or warnings that turning 40 means you are “over the hill.” That is because as you age, your body goes through numerous changes, many of them starting in your 40s. The most crucial “changes” in your health to monitor is with your heart.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of illness and death worldwide, and the risk increases as you age. While genetics play a role, your lifestyle choices and how you manage your overall health can significantly impact your heart health. By taking the right actions at every stage of life, you can help maintain a strong, healthy heart.
Here is what you need to know to protect your cardiovascular health in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond.
Laying a Heart Healthy Foundation in Your 40s
The 40s are a pivotal time for heart health. This is when risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight gain, and diabetes may start to develop. That is why your 40s are the decade to make lifestyle adjustments that can benefit you for decades to come.
Get Regular Checkups and Recommended Screenings
Your 40s are when additional recommended screenings are added to your annual checkup and physical. Screenings for blood pressure to detect hypertension, cholesterol levels to determine your risk of heart disease, and blood glucose to screen for diabetes are all key to your heart health. Additionally, your doctor may recommend checkups every six months if you have elevated risk factors, like a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, or other cardiac issues.
Monitor Blood Glucose Levels and Manage Diabetes
You should have an initial fasting blood glucose test by age 45 to screen for type 2 diabetes, as this is the age when it most often develops. If you are diagnosed as diabetic or even pre-diabetic, managing the disease is crucial for your heart health. Type 2 diabetes patients are at a higher risk for eventually needing a pacemaker and at an increased risk of suffering a cardiovascular event even with a pacemaker, according to the Journal of Diabetes Research. Additionally, people with any form of diabetes are 40% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation compared to people without diabetes.
Maintain a Healthy Diet and Healthy Weight
This is crucial if you do have diabetes but also important to your heart health. Being overweight or obese can put you at higher risk of developing heart disease, as it raises blood pressure, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. What you eat can help to lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and, ultimately, your weight. Follow a heart healthy diet like the DASH eating plan, the Mediterranean Diet, or the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet, All of these emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and olive and vegetable oils, while limiting the intake of foods high in saturated fat, overly processed foods, and those with added sugars and excessive sodium.
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise will help you maintain a healthy weight, while incorporating aerobic exercises will get your heart rate up and improve cardiorespiratory fitness. You want “at least 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week,” according to the American Heart Association. These are activities like brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling that help strengthen the heart.
Manage Stress
The 40s can be a stressful life stage for many adults, as they find themselves raising a family, hitting the peak in their career, and worrying about or caring for aged parents. You need to effectively manage these stressors and your response, as chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and even heart attack. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or exercise like yoga and tai chi can help you to refocus and calm your mind. Also, be sure you are getting adequate sleep, at least seven to eight hours a night. This can help to lower stress and anxiety, while lack of quality sleep is associated with several health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
Managing Heart Health in Your 50s
By your 50s, your heart has been working hard for half a century! Keep it pumping by maintaining all the heart healthy groundwork you laid in your 40s. In this next decade, be vigilant of changes in your metabolism, hormones, and risk factors to prevent the development of serious cardiovascular conditions.
Hormonal Changes and Menopause
The average age for menopause is 52, and the hormonal changes that occur during menopause can bring increased cardiovascular risk in the form of higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in postmenopausal women worldwide. With this increased risk, regular screenings become even more important as women age to catch any changes in cardiovascular health.
Watch Your Weight
If maintaining a healthy weight seems to be getting harder, that is because metabolism slows down with age. The 50s and 60s are often the decades when people start to gain more weight, increasing their heart disease risks. If your current diet and exercise routine are not keeping the excess pounds away, talk with your doctor about adjustments you may need to make.
Increase Physical Activity
Besides adjusting your diet to meet your changing metabolism, you may also need to change up your workout routine to incorporate the best exercises for your aging body. Weight-bearing exercises can help prevent metabolic issues, while adding strength training can help maintain muscle mass and bone density. Combining strength training with aerobic activities (like walking or cycling) provides a well-rounded approach to maintaining your heart health, especially as you reach this stage of life. Research has shown that exercising regularly in middle age can improve the elasticity of blood vessels brought on by a sedentary lifestyle, reducing heart disease risk.
Protecting Your Heart in Your 60s and Beyond
By the time you reach your 60s, the risk of cardiovascular disease becomes even more pronounced. Aging inevitably brings a decline in cardiovascular function, so being proactive and adapting your lifestyle throughout your golden years can keep your heart pumping efficiently, enhancing longevity and quality of life.
Stay on Top of Medical Screenings
Besides continuing to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels, your doctor may perform additional cardiovascular tests, like an electrocardiogram (EKG) or stress test, based on health needs as you age. A coronary artery calcium CT scan (or CAC test) measures the amount of calcium in your arteries. Higher amounts of calcium are associated with higher plaque buildup, and therefore, more severe coronary artery disease. The American Heart Association recommends a CAC for women ages 60 to 80 and men ages 55 to 80 with few risk factors.
Watch for the Symptoms and Signs of Heart Issues
Be vigilant about symptoms like irregular heartbeat, dizziness, persistent fatigue, or swelling in the legs, which can be warning signs of heart disease or other cardiac issues. Symptoms of a heart attack can be different in older adults, particularly in women. Watch for chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, and fatigue. Starting in your 60s, you are at greater risk for developing peripheral artery disease (PAD), where plaque builds up in the leg arteries. Muscle cramping in the hips, thighs or calves when walking, climbing stairs or exercising is the most common symptom. Getting plenty of physical activity can help prevent it.
Stay Physically and Socially Active
Staying physically active can help prevent PAD and other heart issues by improving circulation and heart function. But at this age, be sure to listen to your body and adjust your activity level as needed. Low-impact exercises like water aerobics, yoga, and daily walking can keep you moving while reducing strain on your joints. Additionally, do not neglect your social activities. Seniors are more likely to suffer from loneliness and isolation due to changes in this stage of life, like retirement, relocation, or the death of loved ones. This loss of social connection can negatively impact both mental and physical health, particularly heart health. A report by the Journal of the American Heart Association found social isolation and loneliness “strongly linked” to “worse heart and brain health,” including a 29% increased risk for heart attack and/or death from heart disease and a 32% increased risk for stroke.
Adjust Your Diet for Your Age
Your body needs fewer calories as you get older. Along with exercising regularly, eating smaller portions of nutrient-rich foods that support your heart health can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Think leafy greens, berries, nuts, lean protein, and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Carrying excess weight as you age causes your heart to work harder and increases your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Effectively Monitor, Manage, and Medicate Health Conditions
Hopefully, your heart healthy lifestyle has helped you to manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and other cardiovascular risk factors. However, the 60s can be the decade when chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or atrial fibrillation start to appear. You will want to work closely with your doctor on how to best manage any developing health conditions. If your current lifestyle or making changes to it does not seem to be working, your doctor may prescribe medication to help protect your heart. If so, be vigilant of side effects and medication interactions. By their 70s, many older adults are taking multiple medications, so always review all medications (prescription and over the counter) with your doctor to avoid complications and ensure heart safety.
Take Action to Keep Your Heart Healthy at Every Stage of Life
Your heart is one of the most vital organs in your body, and taking care of it should be a lifelong priority. By making smart lifestyle choices, staying active, monitoring key health indicators, and working with your doctor, you can significantly lower your risk of heart disease. Whether you are in your 40s, 50s, 60s or older, it is never too early—or too late—to take charge of your heart health.
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