2025 may have already begun, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to set New Year’s resolutions! For many, the start of a new year signifies a fresh start, so consider using this as an opportunity to adopt new habits that will help you live healthier and happier in 2025. Keep reading for ideas on heart-healthy resolutions you can take on this year.
Get More Physical Exercise
Every year, countless people make it a resolution to get more exercise. This is a good idea if you want to better your heart health, as the NIH explains that physical activity can lower your risk for coronary heart disease, among other diseases like diabetes or cancer.
The CDC recommends adults get 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity and 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. This equates to just 30 minutes a day, five days per week.
In other words, you don’t have to commit to running a marathon or a strenuous workout routine in the New Year — unless you want to! Instead, try starting out with a physical activity that you find enjoyable, which will make it easier to stick to this new habit throughout all of 2025.
Eat Healthier
Another common resolution is to eat healthier in the new year. While this might look different for everyone, the AHA recommends a diet that contains:
- A variety of fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Healthy protein sources (legumes, nuts, fish, seafood, lean meat and poultry, and low-fat or fat-free dairy)
- Non-tropical vegetable oils (canola, corn, olive, soybean, and sunflower oils)
They also recommend minimizing the intake of highly processed foods and added sugars, as well as limiting salt intake and alcohol consumption.
Changing your diet is challenging, but not impossible. Next time you’re at the grocery store, look for items that have the Heart-Check mark, which makes it easier to select items the AHA considers heart-healthy.
Improve Your Sleep Schedule
This year, make it a resolution to catch more ZZZ’s. Not only is it a good idea to help you feel more well-rested and energized for the day, but it can also benefit your heart health.
The CDC recommends that most adults sleep at least seven hours each night, but more than one-third of adults in the United States don’t meet this requirement. Those who fall into this category are more likely to report having health problems like heart attacks, asthma, or depression, which may increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
If you want to focus on getting more sleep this year, try setting a regular sleep schedule for yourself, like going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. It can also be beneficial to get ample sunlight early in the day, which helps to regulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
Reduce Your Mental Stress
If your goal for 2025 is to improve your heart health, you should focus on your mental health, too.
Yale Medicine cardiologist Rachel Lampert, MD, states, “Stress is sometimes underrecognized as a risk factor for heart disease.” Dr. Lampert goes on to explain that long-term, chronic stress can cause inflammation that results in increased plaque buildup, which may lead to further risks like coronary artery disease, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, and even heart failure.
The AHA recommends a number of healthy ways to deal with stress, which you might add to your list of New Year’s resolutions for 2025. This includes getting regular exercise, spending time with friends and family, having a positive attitude, getting enough sleep, and practicing relaxation techniques, among others.