Nearly 90 per cent of heart problems are associated with lifestyle factors like smoking, drinking, overeating, and lack of exercise. Therefore, even a small, positive change in your lifestyle can give you a healthier heart. Hence, in order to get that positive change, we give you a list of top 10 habits that you need to avoid to improve heart health.

Too much TV
Spending too much time in front of the tv can be hazardous to your heart, according to a study conducted by The Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2011.

Even if you exercise regularly and watch TV for more than 4 hours a day, it can double the risk of stroke or cardiac arrest, even causing hospitalization or death.

Diet soda
Consuming diet soda regularly can be cool for summer heat, but it can be a disaster for your heart health.

Regular consumption of diet sodas may increase the risk of stroke or other heart disease, even if the patients do not have a history of heart disease.

Alcohol
Though consumption of red wine has some heart healthy properties, excessive consumption of any type of alcohol is not good.

Excess alcohol can increase calories and also disrupt your sleep patterns, in turn harming your heart.

Sleeping (too muchlittle)
Sleeping for less than five hours or more than nine hours can elevate your blood pressure and stress level. Moreover, it also increases the risk of coronary diseases.

Depression
All of us have to go through a moment of stress, depression and tension, due to some reason or the other.

Naturally, you can't get away with these emotions easily, but the way you handle these emotions can take a toll on your heart health.

Snoring
Besides being annoying, it is also a sign of sleep apnea.

People with sleep apnea have an increased risk of heart problems because they usually breathe in intervals, which causes the blood pressure to increase.

Over exercising
Exercising past your limit puts a strain on your heart, which results in heart fatigue or fainting. Hence, never push yourself beyond your limit. However, since the majority of people everywhere usually exercise below or up to moderate activity levels, this is a problem that only exists for a very minor group.

Oral hygiene
Bad oral health can give you bad breath and can also increase the chances of cardiac arrest.

Wondering how both are related It is because bacterias from the gums pass through the blood vessels, which narrows the passages and reduces the blood flow, which further risk your heart health.

Over eating
Obesity is the leading cause of heart problems. And obesity is caused because of eating too much and not exercising.

Hence, try to eat less, avoid sugary and high calorie food items, to live a healthy life.

Smoking
Smoking even one cigarette a day, can double the risk of heart problems. Besides, heart problems, it causes cancer and many other pulmonary diseases.

Source: Times of India

BDST: 1658 HRS, SEP- 02, 2015
Edited by:  Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor