It’s not just tobacco and alcohol: This everyday “relaxing habit” could be hurting your heart, says cardiologist

The dangers of tobacco, vaping, alcohol, recreational drugs, ultra-processed food... etc on our health have been well documented but cardiologists have raised concerns about a relatively innocuous, daily habit that could have a similar negative impact.

Don’t start the day online

Starting the day by checking your phone messages or social media feed is not a healthy habit according to several medical experts, among them, Dr. Alexandra Kharazi, a cardiothoracic surgeon based in San Diego.

Dr Kharazi explains that such activities are not only a distraction from what you should be doing at that time of the morning but also have the potential to increase anxiety, raise your blood pressure and put unnecessary stress on your heart. And that’s not a good way to start the day as it affects our mood and mental wellbeing.

Forget about the world, put yourself first

Dr. Monica Vermani, clinical psychologist and author of A Deeper Wellness: Conquering Stress, Mood, Anxiety, and Traumas, explains that it’s important to prioritize yourself over what might be happening in the world and especially on social media: “An ideal 24 hours would be eight hours sleep, eight hours play, eight hours work. But we don’t live that way.

“Limit the time you spend watching TV and listening to the news on the radio, and engaging in online social media discussions around distressing events and developments and television,” she adds. “Minimize exposure while staying informed, and you will begin to feel the difference in very short order. If necessary, change your social media settings to limit news feeds and highly charged online discussions.”

Sedentary lifestyles are associated with a number of comorbidities such as heart disease, hypertension, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. So if you have a job that involves sitting for several hours, make sure you get up and stand for a few minutes and move around for every hour you are sat.

Time to relax and get enough sleep

And too much internet use before you go to bed or just after you wake can cause poor sleep - and a lack of quality sleep is also hard on your heart.

So it’s a good idea to protect your heart by making sure you get regular exercise, enough quality sleep and do your best to keep stress levels to a minimum. That may well mean ditching the mobile phone or computer before or during breakfast.

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