Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally, accounting for thirteen fatalities every hour in spain alone, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute. However, experts emphasize that as manny as 80% of these deaths are preventable through lifestyle adjustments. This report details actionable steps – from daily exercise routines and prioritizing sleep to mindful eating and stress reduction – based on guidance from leading cardiologists and heart health organizations.
Thirteen people die every hour in Spain from cardiovascular disease, according to the latest mortality data published by the National Statistics Institute. However, the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC) indicates that eight out of ten premature deaths from this cause are preventable with healthy lifestyle habits. Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death globally, highlighting the importance of preventative measures.
Walk 10,000 Steps a Day
Table of Contents
- Walk 10,000 Steps a Day
- Dance, Run, Cycle: Engage in Aerobic Exercise
- Strength Exercises Two Days a Week
- Get Seven to Nine Hours of Sleep Each Night
- Sleep in a Cool, Dark Place
- Preventative Check-ups Starting at Age 40
- Do Not Take Medication Without Medical Advice
- “Tobacco is Poison, and Vaping Too”
- Digital Disconnection to Reduce Stress
- Prepare Meals at Home
Antonia Delgado, a cardiologist at the General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, recommends getting enough sleep, walking throughout the day, and exercising at least twice a week, aiming for between 8,000 and 10,000 steps daily. She is among many experts who prioritize regular walking. Andrés Íñiguez, president of the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC), walks for at least an hour each day. Jorge Solís, coordinator of the Cardiac Imaging Unit at the Cardiology Service of the 12 de Octubre University Hospital, actively seeks opportunities to move: “I try to get up from my office desk every 60 to 90 minutes to take a five-minute walk, stretch, or climb stairs. This helps keep circulation active and reduces the negative impact of a sedentary lifestyle.”
Dance, Run, Cycle: Engage in Aerobic Exercise
Priscilla Duran-Luciano, an expert in cardiovascular epidemiology and a volunteer with the American Heart Association, also strives to take more than 10,000 steps daily. In addition, she runs about five kilometers twice a week and tries to practice yoga at least once to relieve stress and improve her flexibility. Ideally, one should engage in enough activity to increase energy expenditure by 150 or 200 kilocalories daily, according to Íñiguez, who explains this can be achieved with 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week.
“To put it simply, moderate exercise could be brisk walking, dancing, aerobics, or cycling. While doing it, you should still be able to hold a conversation with someone next to you, although your breathing may be slightly faster,” explains Paula Awamleh García, a cardiologist in charge of the Coronary Unit at the Getafe University Hospital. When the exercise is vigorous, such as running, race walking, or intense cycling, “you wouldn’t be able to talk normally, you can only focus on breathing.”
Each age group “has its own exercise,” according to Julián Pérez-Villacastín, head of the cardiology service at the Clínico San Carlos Hospital and professor at the Complutense University of Madrid. While running is “ideal,” “you have to control it as you get older to avoid damaging your joints.” Beyond simply moving, he recommends pushing yourself a little: “We have to feel our heart rate accelerate.”
Íñiguez suggests reaching a heart rate between 60% and 75% of your maximum heart rate. “A practical rule for this is to subtract your age from 220,” he explains. However, the intensity will depend on your fitness level: “It’s not the same if you are sedentary as if you are an amateur or elite athlete, if you suffer from heart disease, or if you are under pharmacological treatment.”
Strength Exercises Two Days a Week
Solís advises complementing that exercise with two days of strength training—such as weights or resistance bands—to maintain muscle mass, which “is protective of the heart and fundamental as we get older.” “People believe that as we age, we are doing well if we maintain our weight. Yes, but we have to consider that we replace muscle with fat, and even if our weight doesn’t change, it’s advisable to do strength training to maintain muscle tone and avoid sarcopenia (loss of muscle with age),” explains Pérez-Villacastín.
This expert also recommends training your balance, an important aspect of healthy aging. He proposes a simple test: stand with your arms open and your eyes open, lift one leg, and hold the position. Holding for more than 30 seconds is considered “normal.” Balance is a fundamental motor skill that helps prevent falls and contributes to maintaining physical activity in older adults.
Get Seven to Nine Hours of Sleep Each Night
A lack of sleep currently affects 36.2% of the population in Spain, according to the latest Health Survey by the Spanish Heart Foundation. Íñiguez explains that the ideal number of sleep hours varies by age: children under five should sleep between 10 and 16 hours, children aged six to 12 between nine and 12 hours, adolescents aged 13 to 18 between eight and 10 hours, and adults between seven and nine hours. Prioritizing sleep is crucial for overall health, and insufficient rest can have serious consequences.
Poor or insufficient sleep can increase blood pressure, increase inflammation, disrupt metabolism, and make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight, as Duran-Luciano points out, all of which increase long-term cardiovascular risk. A meta-analysis published in 2020 indicates that people with insomnia have approximately a 45% higher risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those without sleep disorders.
The experts consulted advise maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, and reducing exposure to screens at least one hour before bedtime. Awamleh describes the lit screen as the great “enemy of sleep.” She often has trouble falling asleep. “What I usually do is put a movie or series that I’ve already seen on the bedroom TV, one that I don’t have to pay too much attention to to follow the plot, with the sound low, and, of course, turning off the image,” she explains.
To avoid insomnia, Delgado advises having a light dinner separate from bedtime—avoiding stimulants and alcohol—and performing a disconnection routine without screens at least one hour before bed. During that time, she suggests doing a relaxing activity, such as taking a warm shower, reading, listening to quiet music, doing gentle stretches, or taking the time to practice meditation or mindfulness. She also finds deep breathing exercises helpful for relaxation, such as performing four to six breaths with an inhalation of about 4 seconds and a longer exhalation of 6 seconds.
Sleep in a Cool, Dark Place
The environment in which we sleep “influences cardiovascular health.” Duran-Luciano explains that you should sleep in a comfortable, cool, and dark place. Some research indicates that exposure to artificial light at night—such as intense indoor lighting or outdoor light entering through the window—is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. “Even moderate exposure to nighttime light is associated with a long-term increased risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke,” the expert explains.
Preventative Check-ups Starting at Age 40
“In our healthcare system, the primary care physician plays a fundamental role in the detection and control of cardiovascular risk factors, especially from the age of 40,” explains Delgado. Solís considers it essential to have blood pressure and cholesterol checked: “Many people live with these ‘silent killers’ without knowing it, until it’s too late. We should never wait to have symptoms to measure their values.”
The expert recommends a first preventative check-up from age 40 for men and 45 for women. It is also advisable to consult a doctor if you experience any warning symptoms, such as chest pain, dizziness, loss of consciousness, or difficulty breathing.
Do Not Take Medication Without Medical Advice
“You are killing your heart without knowing it, and there is a pill that cleans your arteries,” states a viral video on TikTok, referring to trimetazidine, which it calls “Europe’s heart shield.” “If everything were as simple as following a video on TikTok, we would quickly end the cardiovascular mortality in the world,” says Awamleh. This is a clear example of dangerous misinformation proliferating on social media, according to Solís.
He explains that trimetazidine is only indicated for some patients with angina and does not “clean the arteries,” contrary to what the video claims. “It is a prescription medication that must be taken under strict medical control, not on the recommendation of an influencer,” the expert points out.
“Tobacco is Poison, and Vaping Too”
Regarding habits that damage the heart, Pérez-Villacastín is emphatic: “Tobacco is poison, and vaping too. Breathing is the most direct way we have to put any substance in contact with the blood.” That’s why smokers already feel its effect “with the first puff.”
Awamleh would never smoke. Tobacco is “tremendously harmful to the heart, and unfortunately there is no safe dose”: “Many people believe that a couple of cigarettes a day doesn’t matter. Obviously, the toxicity that accumulates is greater if you smoke three packs a day, but from the first puff there is damage to the blood vessels.”
Digital Disconnection to Reduce Stress
The European Society of Cardiology highlights the close relationship between mental health and cardiovascular disease. For example, several studies conclude that depression has a significant negative impact on the development of these pathologies. Each person should identify what factors generate stress or discomfort and what helps them reduce it. Awamleh explains that her work can be very stressful and absorbing. Therefore, in her day-to-day life, she needs to disconnect and do activities that are not related to medicine, such as going to the gym and training with the boxing bag.
To reduce stress, Solís suggests digital disconnection, which involves scheduling times of the day when you do not check emails or news and disconnect from work. He also recommends staying active—preferably in a natural environment—listening to relaxing music, and practicing breathing exercises.
Prepare Meals at Home
Iñiguez advises following a Mediterranean diet. Consume olive oil, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, yogurt, or fresh cheese. He also suggests limiting red meat and the consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as industrial pastries, fried foods, processed meats, and sugary drinks. “They can raise cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood),” he explains.
Solís’s breakfast is usually rich in fiber and healthy fats. He usually has whole-wheat toast with extra virgin olive oil and oatmeal. Lunch is usually prepared at home and is based on legumes, vegetables, and white meats. He consumes at least two pieces of fruit a day and has an early, light dinner. He avoids sugar, ultra-processed foods, and always drinks water. Salt, he explains, is a “silent enemy” that contributes to hypertension. “Most of the salt we consume comes from processed foods, not from the salt shaker,” explains Solís. The World Health Organization advises limiting salt intake in adults to less than 5 grams per day (the equivalent of a teaspoon).
Delgado also usually eats something prepared at home at work, which helps her avoid abusing processed foods and overeating. Regarding coffee, she points out that up to three cups a day are not associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. “Energy drinks are another matter: there is scientific evidence of their harmful effects on blood pressure, pulse, or heart blood flow. Their consumption is not recommended,” concludes Awamleh.
