7 Habits Cardiologist Says You Must Avoid After Turning 40

As we grow old, the human body starts experiencing changes, and the 40s are a crucial phase for both men and women. With more people losing their lives in their 30s and 40s due to cardiovascular health problems, it has become necessary to bring significant changes to your lifestyle for longevity. With growing age, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and bone density loss become more common, and how you live your 40s will set the stage for your health span and quality of life.

Dr Sanjay Bhat, Senior Consultant – Interventional Cardiology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, reported that the risk of heart attacks is rising among people in their 40s because of unhealthy lifestyle habits that start early and build up over time. Read ahead to gain further insights about the lifestyle habits one must avoid after turning 40.

Growing Risk Of Heart Attacks In the 40s

With the modern and sedentary lifestyle, the risk of heart attack has significantly increased in younger individuals and people in their early 40s, a demographic once only common in the later 50s. India has seen a significant increase in deaths due to heart attacks over the past three years, with a 12.5% rise in cases in 2022 alone, leading to 32,457 deaths, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and the number of affected people in their 40s is higher than ever.

Even people with no history of cardiovascular health problems and those comparably involved in excessive physical activity have been suffering from heart blockages. The cause lies in changing lifestyle habits combined with a lack of physical activity or excessive physical pressure on the heart, diabetes, other chronic illnesses, and genetics.

Cardiologist Dr Sanjay Bhat shared that eating too much processed food, sugar, and unhealthy fats increases obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes at a younger age. “These conditions quietly damage the heart for years, and pollution and family history also add to the risk. When these factors combine, the heart becomes weaker earlier, making heart attacks more common even before 45.”

To live life joyfully and healthily, Dr Bhat recommended that individuals nearing 40 or those who have just turned 40 should be extra cautious about their lifestyle and health. He further shared a few habits one must strictly avoid to reduce the risk of heart attack and any other disease impacting longevity and quality of life.

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Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Do you wait to start your fitness journey and other lifestyle changes only after you get diagnosed with a health issue? This can lead to sudden heart attacks and other problems, not giving you the chance to improve, and causing preventable deaths. Dr Bhat recommended that one should not wait to be diagnosed with a particular disease to bring change into life. Instead, they should always be cautious with their dietary habits, physical fitness, and mental health, too. Dealing with a disease once diagnosed will not just take a toll on your body, but your financial and mental health will also suffer.

Skipping Regular Check-Ups

Regular full-body check-ups and tests become more important than ever when you turn 40. It helps with early diagnosis, which leads to an early treatment process. Dr Bhat stated, “Avoiding yearly heart and blood tests after 40 can delay the early detection of problems, eventually leading to a delay in the required care and medical treatment when necessary.”

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Ignoring High Blood Pressure

Not treating high blood pressure quickly increases strain on the heart and raises heart attack. Once you turn 40, high blood pressure can be a sign of an outbreak of many diseases, and ignoring this can lead to irreversible damage to your heart, brain, and kidneys.

Eating Too Much Processed Food

Processed food has become far more common in the market than ever, leading to tremendous health problems. “High salt, sugar, and trans fats found in processed food damage blood vessels over time, and after the 40s, their results become more visible. Eating junk and processed food not just ages you fast, it slows down your recovery cells, suppresses your immunity, and impairs your metabolism,” Dr Bhat stated.

Heavy Alcohol and Smoking

Alcohol, vaping, or smoking is a direct poison you are consuming. While consuming these harmful substances is injurious at any age, after the 40s, they directly harm the heart and make the arteries stiff and narrow. Dr Bhat recommended that not just regular consumption, but also occasional use has the same kind of impact on human health, making it necessary to completely ban them from your life.

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Poor Sleep Habits

In the current generation, poor sleeping habits are more problematic than you can think. Your sleep patterns are connected with your overall health and well-being, whether it is seasonal flu, immunity, or severe conditions of high blood pressure and mental disorders. “Sleeping less than 6 hours, which is a common result of blue light exposure, increases stress hormones and inflammation. Dealing with these health problems in the 40s makes treatment more complicated,” Dr Bhat stated. The body needs at least 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep to repair cells, maintain hormonal levels, and boost energy levels.

Stress and Anxiety

It is the biological clock that makes stress and anxiety more common in your 40s. Family problems, career frustration, and other life challenges peak at this time, raising the stress hormone, cortisol, in the body. Dr Bhat mentioned that constant stress tightens blood vessels and weakens heart function over time, increasing the risk of cardiovascular health problems. Persistent stress not only accelerates ageing symptoms but also shrinks the brain part that is responsible for memory and other emotional self-regulations.

Cardiologist Highlights Single Greatest Risk To Cardiovascular Longevity

Among the above seven habits, ignoring high blood pressure poses the single greatest risk to long-term heart health. High BP is known as a 'silent killer' because it causes no symptoms but slowly damages blood vessels, the heart muscle, kidneys, and brain. Dr Bhat highlighted, “When blood pressure stays high for years, the heart must work harder to pump blood, leading to thickening of the heart walls, reduced efficiency, and a much higher chance of heart attack or stroke. And in the 40s, it becomes nearly impossible to return to a normal condition without putting in extensive efforts.”

Even slightly high readings, if untreated, can shorten the cardiovascular lifespan. Simple steps like regular monitoring, early medication if needed, a low-salt diet, exercise, and stress control can greatly reduce this risk and protect heart health after 40.

Cardiologist-Recommended Habits To Adopt Once You Turn 40

For people over 40, it is important to build long-term habits that protect heart, bone, and brain health. Here are a few necessary habits suggested by Dr Bhat to adopt in daily life in your 40s:

• Eating a balanced diet with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and less salt and sugar supports overall wellness.
• Doing regular exercise like brisk walking, yoga, or strength training keeps the heart strong and maintains muscle mass.
• Sleeping 7 to 8 hours daily helps the body repair and reduces stress.
• Getting routine health check-ups for blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar, and weight helps catch problems early.
• Drinking enough water, limiting alcohol, and quitting smoking greatly reduce disease risk.
• Staying mentally active, managing stress, and maintaining strong social connections and relationships with positive people also improve long-term health and quality of life.

Bottomline

Turning 40 is a great milestone in people’s lives, but if health is not taken seriously, it is also the age when people are diagnosed with the most severe health problems, including heart blockages and cancer. Since the body’s recovery process slows down at this point, keeping yourself mentally and physically healthy and living a quality and positive life may reduce the risk of chronic diseases significantly, supporting you towards a longer and healthier journey ahead.