As society embraces a sedentary lifestyle, taking care of one’s cardiovascular health becomes increasingly important. With the rising risk of heart attacks and cardiac arrests, the pumping station of the body is in need of some “armour,” according to Dr Vassily Eliopoulos, a longevity expert trained at Cornell University and co-founder and chief medical officer of Longevity Health.
Taking to Instagram on May 11, Dr Vass noted that the organ is at its most vulnerable in the morning. “If you never want to be the person who gets surprised by a heart attack, here are five morning habits to help protect your heart before noon,” he shared, adding that what an individual does within the first two hours of waking up sets their metabolic and cardiovascular tone for the rest of the day.
The five morning habits that he shared are listed as follows.
1. Experience sunlight after waking
After waking up from a good night’s sleep, it is important to experience the sunlight early in the morning. “Get sunlight in your eyes within 30 minutes of waking,” stated Dr Vass. “This helps to anchor your circadian rhythm, which directly regulates cortisol patterns and overnight blood pressure recovery.”
2. Delay the morning coffee
For many of us, the morning cup of coffee is what gets us started for the day. However, Dr Vass shared that the early caffeine intake is not as beneficial for the body as it may feel on the surface. He suggested delaying the first cup of coffee in the morning for about 90 minutes after waking up. “Drinking coffee on top of your morning cortisol spike raises blood pressure and stresses arterial walls. Wait 90 minutes, and your heart will notice,” he explained.
3. Eat protein first
Instead of the popular carb-loaded breakfasts, Dr Vass suggested starting the day with protein, which gives steady energy and high satiety. “High protein breakfast blunts blood sugar response to everything you eat the rest of the day, lowering insulin, inflammation and arterial damage,” he stated.
4. Move within the first hour
Hitting the ground running every morning is actually good advice when it comes to cardiovascular health. Explaining the benefits of movement in the first hour of waking up, Dr Vass shared, “Even just 10 minutes of walking helps to lower fasting glucose, raises HDL (high-density lipoprotein), and reduces the cortisol spike that peaks naturally after waking.”
5. Drink water first thing in the morning
After waking up, it is important to hydrate before anything else. “Even mild dehydration thickens blood, strains the heart, and can even raise clotting risk,” stated Dr Vass, and suggested drinking at least 16 ounces of water before coffee without exception.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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