If You’re Over 60, These 10 Everyday Habits Can Hurt Your Heart Health, Doctors Say

It’s easy to overlook the little things we do each day—skipping a walk, reaching for the salt shaker, or staying up too late, for example—especially when they don’t seem harmful in the moment. However, if you’re over 60, these everyday habits can quietly add up, putting more strain on your heart than you might realize. The truth is, our bodies become less forgiving with age, and routines that once felt harmless can gradually chip away at heart health.

The good news? Small changes can make a big difference, says Sam Setareh, MD, FACC, director of cardiology and cardiovascular performance at Beverly Hills Cardiovascular and Longevity Institute. “It’s such an important topic,” Setareh tells Best Life. “Small adjustments to daily habits can have an enormous impact on heart health over the years. The best results come from making heart-healthy choices a routine part of life, one step at a time.”

Wondering how to rid your own day of these risky routines? These are the top 10 everyday habits that could be hurting your heart health, according to doctors.

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According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the average American adult should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily for optimal heart health, despite actually consuming more than 3,500 mg each day. This disparity is especially concerning among seniors, who are already at higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

“Sodium is hidden in many processed and packaged foods and can raise blood pressure, making the heart work harder and increasing the risk of heart disease and heart failure,” says Setareh, who has subspecialties in preventive cardiology, sports cardiology, and advanced cardiovascular imaging. “The best approach: Cook more at home and focus on whole, minimally processed ingredients.”

Whether you’re looking to improve your heart health or broader longevity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise per week.

They note that a lack of adequate exercise is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, and other chronic health conditions. Yet even if you’re reaching those recommended movement goals, sitting for prolonged periods of time can still have detrimental effects on your heart health.

“Long periods of inactivity affect circulation, blood pressure, and blood sugar, and can lead to weight gain,” says Setareh, who recommends getting up and walking for at least a few minutes every hour. “Even a short walk or some light stretching can make a difference.”

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Your heart relies on adequate hydration to keep your blood pumping smoothly and efficiently. In fact, according to a 2022 report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), being consistently well-hydrated may even reduce your long-term risk of heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood for the body’s needs.

Though heat waves are a time of particular concern, Uma Darji, MD, a physician specializing in family medicine, says that seniors are always at a higher risk of dehydration, regardless of the weather: “Dehydration can strain the heart and can lead to low blood pressure. I often have to remind seniors to set alarms to drink regularly and not wait until they feel thirsty.”

If you’re in the habit of falling asleep at night without having brushed, flossed, and rinsed, you could be putting your heart health in jeopardy. In fact, Sandip Sachar, DDS, a New York City-based dentist at Sachar Dental, says that poor oral hygiene is recognized as a significant contributor to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

“Skipping brushing and flossing allows plaque, which is full of bacteria, to build up on your teeth. This can lead to gum inflammation and gum disease, also known as periodontal disease,” explains Sachar. “When gums are inflamed, this bacteria can enter the bloodstream, causing widespread inflammation in the body.”

“This type of inflammation is known to raise the risk of heart disease by damaging blood vessels and helping plaque build up in the arteries,” she continues. “The body’s immune response to these bacteria plays a key role in this process.”

Sachar adds that reduced manual dexterity in seniors, due to conditions like arthritis or neurological disorders, can be a barrier to proper oral hygiene.

“I recommend electric toothbrushes and water flossers in these situations. And, I always advise brushing twice a day and flossing every night and getting professional dental cleanings every six months—or every three months if periodontal disease is a concern,” she tells Best Life.

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Sleep is another crucial piece of the heart health puzzle—and an increasingly complicated one as you get older, according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

“Many older adults don’t sleep well. Factors such as illness, medications, mental health, and pain can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep disorders become more common with age, including insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep), sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep), and movement disorders such as restless legs syndrome,” their experts write.

Setareh notes that practicing good sleep habits that promote both sleep quantity and quality is essential, despite these challenges: “Chronic sleep deprivation or disrupted sleep can raise blood pressure, cause arrhythmias, and strain the cardiovascular system.”

He recommends aiming for seven to eight hours of quality sleep and talking to a doctor if sleep apnea or other disturbances are suspected.

Darji says neglecting your mental health or ignoring your stress can also put a strain on your heart—and adds that seniors are at an increased risk of doing just that.

“Especially as people age, there is an increase in loneliness and depression, which can increase cortisol and raise blood pressure over time,” Darji tells Best Life. “Addressing mental health is just as important as physical health, and thankfully, this has become a priority during most well visits, especially Medicare annual exams.

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Seeing your doctor for regular checkups, even when you feel well, is another important habit to maintain for the sake of your heart health past 60. Failing to do so could mean skipping crucial cardiovascular screening measures.

“High blood pressure, rising cholesterol, or early heart disease can often be silent until it’s too late. Stay up to date with annual physicals and cardiovascular screening to catch issues early, when they’re easiest to treat,” urges Setareh.

Darji says that forgetting or skipping your medication can be acutely detrimental to your heart health. Setting an alarm to help you remember and keeping your medication well organized in a pill sorter or a bottle with a timer cap can help you avoid confusion. It’s also important to ask your doctor what to do if you’ve skipped one or more doses.

“Missing medication doses often of your blood pressure, cholesterol, or other chronic diseases can have an additive negative effect on heart health,” she says. “As I always tell my patients: The heart ages, too, but our job is to help it age gracefully.”

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Consuming excessive alcohol can wreak havoc on your health in general, with the potential to cause liver disease, certain types of cancer, cognitive changes, and more. It can also tank your heart health, especially past 60, when alcohol is more likely to exacerbate existing health problems or cause dangerous medication interactions.

“Regular or heavy drinking can raise blood pressure, trigger arrhythmias, and affect heart muscle over time,” says Setareh. “Enjoy alcohol in moderation (no more than one drink per day for women, or one to two drinks per day for men), or skip it if advised by a doctor.”

Smoking can damage your blood vessels, raise your blood pressure and heart rate, and accumulate plaque in your arteries, ultimately putting you at heightened risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious cardiovascular problems.

“I think it is common knowledge now that smoking is bad for you, but even the occasional smoke can significantly increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes,” says Darji. “Unfortunately, many seniors who smoke started at such a young age that quitting is not something they are willing to attempt.”