From sleep to sex, the new rules for hearts
As a study shows brushing your teeth can lower inflammation like statins, India Sturgis reports on other lifestyle steps we can take
Heart disease remains the UK’s biggest killer, but there is much to be optimistic about: deaths are plummeting as we get better at preventing, diagnosing and treating the problem. Heart attacks have fallen by 40 per cent since the introduction of the smoking ban in 2007, according to a major review published earlier this year.
Indeed, we’re learning more and more about how lifestyle can wreck – or protect – the health of the heart. Last week, American researchers reported that simply brushing your teeth thoroughly can dramatically reduce levels of inflammation in the body and help protect against heart attacks.
It’s never too early to start thinking about your heart and taking steps to care for it, believes Johannes Hinrich von Borstel, a doctor, former paramedic and author of a new book, Heart: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Important Organ. After all, atherosclerosis – the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart disease and stroke – starts at the age of 25.
“Atherosclerosis is the only disease that everyone in the world has from the age of 50,” says Dr von Borstel. “One hundred per cent of people have it. It is something you cannot completely stop, but you can influence how fast it develops.”
Drawing on the latest research, and his own experience treating patients with a host of heart conditions, Dr von Borstel reveals some of the surprising ways to keep your heart beating healthily, whatever your age – from having more sex to ditching the weekend lie-ins.
Have sex (with someone you love)
According to Dr von Borstel, exerting yourself between the sheets is one of the most beneficial exercises you can do for your heart. “As well as an entire cardiac workout, before and during intercourse there is a big release of hormones that have a protective effect on our cardiovascular system,” he explains. An orgasm can release 50 different chemical messengers. One substance, oxytocin, the so-called cuddle hormone, triggered by affectionate physical contact, is proven to lower blood pressure, promote the healing of wounds and reduce stress.
Having sex with someone you love, rather than a stranger, is far better for hearts because genuine affection causes the release of higher levels of oxytocin, says Dr von Borstel.
This was borne out in a recent study of 2,200 people by Michigan State University, which found women over the age of 50 who had regular sex tended to have lower blood pressure, and so a lower risk of heart problems – but the benefits were only seen in those who reported high levels of satisfaction and enjoyment from sex.
Endorphin is another useful hormone released during sex, lowering the heart rate and blood pressure during exercise. Meanwhile, both oestrogen, which is antiinflammatory, and testosterone, which lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, receive a boost through sex, too. High cholesterol causes fatty deposits in blood vessels to attach to artery walls, leading to clogging and arteriosclerosis, says Dr von Borstel, who recommends having “as much loving sex as possible”.
Is sex safe if you have a heart condition? People suffering with angina – chest pain from narrowed arteries – or who have recently had a heart attack or heart surgery often feel anxious about sexual activity. But experts advise that it can be safely resumed as soon as a patient feels well enough after their treatment – normally four to six weeks. Last year, a study by Ulm University in Germany, which followed more than 500 heart attack survivors, found no relationship between how often they had sex and their risk of future heart problems. The authors said sex provided a good form of physical exercise for the heart, and patients should not give it up.
Eat raw garlic every day
“Vegetables and fruits have secondary phytochemicals that have the same effect as different [heart-protective] medications but not in a dose that is dangerous for your body,” says Dr von Borstel. He cites ginger, onions and garlic as blood thinners that promote blood flow through vessels and improved blood supply to organs and tissues. He recommends adding a teaspoon of grated root ginger or two or three teaspoons of grated garlic to a glass of water every day to naturally reduce blood pressure. “As long as you eat in a balanced way, it is no problem to eat these every day,” he says. Allicin, the key ingredient found in garlic and onions, is thought to act on the kidneys, changing levels of hormones and dilating the blood vessels. Studies by the UK’s Institute of Food Research found that eating a 100g to 200g serving of onions (one to two onions) had the biggest impact on inflammation.
Sleep well (but not too much)
Sleepless nights are associated with an increased heart rate, high blood pressure and a spike in chemicals linked with inflammation – all of which can strain the heart. Researchers from the University of Warwick recently reported that those who sleep for less than six hours a night and have disturbed sleep have a 48 per cent greater
chance of heart disease and 15 per cent greater chance of stroke.
Insomnia is also a source of stress and stress triggers adrenalin, which makes our hearts beat faster and, over prolonged periods, can lead to angina or even heart failure. However, getting too much sleep can be dangerous, too. Researchers at the University of West Virginia in 2010 found that those who regularly sleep for more than nine hours a night had an almost 50 per cent higher risk of suffering a heart attack or other cardiovascular disease.
Increasingly, evidence suggests that irregular sleep patterns – for example, lying in at the weekend – disrupt the delicate balance of our circadian rhythms, which may alter processes in the body, such as the metabolism of sugar, and raise the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Although research is continuing, Dr von Borstel’s conclusion is clear: “Sleeping too much and too little can be harmful to our health. Seven hours is the perfect number for most adults.”
‘Sleeping too much and too little can be harmful’