Can fidgeting and belly laughing keep your heart ticking?
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the US since the American Heart Association was founded in 1924, and the AHA warns that 61% of American adults will likely develop some type of cardiovascular disease in the next 30 years as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity become more common.
But while most people know that they should be sticking to a healthy diet, avoiding ultraprocessed foods and exercising, there are actually a few lesser-known ways to boost your heart health — and some of them are even fun.
“While incredibly important, heart health isn’t just about diet and exercise — it’s influenced by a variety of everyday habits you might not even think about,” says Karen Stockdale, a registered nurse with Soliant Health.
In addition to eating well and moving often, improved breathing can provide profound benefits to long-term cardiovascular function.
“Since the heart and lungs work hand in hand to deliver oxygen to the body, daily habits that improve lung function — like deep breathing exercises, staying active and avoiding pollutants — are key to preventing heart disease and supporting long-term cardiovascular health.”
Stockdale shared five unexpected, everyday habits that can improve your breathing and your long-term heart health.
Wiggle your toes
Wiggle it, just a little bit.
“Wiggle your toes for 30 seconds every hour — especially if you’re sitting or traveling for long periods of time. It’s an easy way to keep your circulation in check,” Stockdale recommended.
By stimulating blood flow and preventing pooling, wiggling your toes encourages overall circulation and supports oxygen flow throughout the body, playing a vital role in improving lung and heart health.
Practice perfect posture
Keep your spine aligned.
“When you slouch or maintain poor posture, your chest cavity becomes compressed, which restricts lung capacity and limits airflow,” Stockdale explained.
“Over time, this can reduce the amount of oxygen circulating in your bloodstream, forcing the heart to work harder to supply oxygen throughout the body.”
Conversely, proper posture and spinal alignment open the chest cavity, providing the lungs space to expand, leading to improved breathing, enhanced oxygen intake and less overall stress on the cardiovascular system.
Laugh, a lot
Get happy and get heart healthy?
Studies have shown that mental well-being can positively or negatively affect a person’s health and risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
While stress, and in particular anger, amplifies risk, laughter has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
Laughter stimulates deep breathing, which increases oxygen intake while lowering blood pressure and improving circulation.
“When you laugh, your diaphragm and abdominal muscles contract, pushing air out of the lungs more forcefully and encouraging a greater exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide,” Stockdale explained.
A recent study found that “laughter therapy” can improve cardiovascular health and ease symptoms of heart disease.
Maintain a gratitude practice
A 2012 study found that people who wrote letters of gratitude were happier and had more life satisfaction, while a 2003 experiment showed that people who kept a gratitude list showed “heightened well-being.”
By reducing stress levels, a gratitude practice indirectly improves lung and heart health.
“Chronic stress triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol, which can contribute to inflammation in the body, including the respiratory system,” Stockdale revealed.
“By cultivating a sense of calm and positivity through daily gratitude journaling, individuals may experience lower stress and anxiety, leading to more relaxed breathing patterns and improved lung function.”
You can go about gratitude practices in a few ways. The traditional route is to keep a gratitude journal and jot down a few things you’re grateful for — that can include big-picture things like your health or a loved one or more minor things that made you feel good, like the cup of coffee you shared with a friend or the sunset you watched.
Try pursed lip breathing
Breathing through pursed lips slows the breathing process and prolongs exhalation, improving airflow and preventing airway collapse. Stockdale noted that pursed lip breathing can regulate oxygen intake during periods of stress or exercise.
To try it, inhale deeply and exhale as if slowly blowing out birthday candles.
“The technique promotes better oxygen exchange by increasing the time available for oxygen to enter the bloodstream and carbon dioxide to leave, which leads to improved lung efficiency,” Stockdale explains. “For the heart, this enhanced oxygenation reduces the workload, as the heart doesn’t have to pump as hard to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the body.”
