Are You Truly Young at Heart?

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In February, we often think about Valentine’s, love, and our feelings about our partners, siblings and close friends. It’s no surprise because those are the people who make us feel young at heart. A study in American Psychologist reports social connections help us live longer, lower our risk for heart disease and boost our immunities. Feeling young at heart is good, but certain risk factors may actually be aging your heart beyond its calendar years.

Do you know your heart’s real age? Find out in just five minutes with our free assessment.

Knowing the following heart facts could help you live a longer, healthier life.

Belief #1: I don’t have to worry about high blood pressure until I am older.

False. Though most people with hypertension are 60 and older, and risks increase as we age, hypertension is a condition that can affect people of all ages. High blood pressure can impact someone as early as 20. In fact, numbers are on the rise among young adults. High blood pressure now affects 1 in 8 adults under 40, which increases heart attack and stroke risks.

Belief #2: I’d know if I had high blood pressure.

False. Hypertension is sometimes called a “silent killer.” This is not just said for attention because so many people love true crime. As many as 47% of American adults have high blood pressure. And what’s truly scary is it contributed to the deaths of nearly 517,000 Americans in 2019. It’s called the silent killer because people don’t know they have it, they mistake their symptoms as another ailment or it quietly develops over time.

Belief #3: I’m a smoker, so the damage is already done to my heart.

False. Smoking narrows blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. However, it’s never too late to correct your course. According to the FDA, your heart rate drops within 20 minutes of quitting. One year after putting out your last cigarette, your heart attack risk lowers by 50%. In a decade, your heart disease risk will be the same as a person who never smoked. Quitting also reduces cancer risks.

Belief #4: Men have to worry about heart disease, not women.

False. Some people might believe cardiovascular disease primarily affects men or the elderly, as it often does in movies. Heart disease is still women’s leading killer. As many as 1 in 3 women die from cardiovascular disease—or approximately one woman every 80 seconds. In addition, cardiac events are rising for women in their 20s, especially if they smoke and use birth control pills.

Belief #5: Stress only affects my thoughts and has no bearing on my heart.

False. According to the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation, negative mindsets can affect cardiovascular health as much as hypertension, diabetes or obesity. Long-term, highly stressful lives can increase cortisol levels, which spike cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure.