Dodge the rise of heart disease

A new study makes it clear that you might need some extra weapons in your battle against heart disease. Researchers recently looked at data on U.S. mortality rates from 1999 to 2017 and found that deaths from stroke and diabetes declined from 1999 to 2010, but leveled off after that, while deaths from high blood pressure increased between 1999 and 2017. So, we’ve got four ways to protect your heart health:

1. Floss daily. Oral bacteria thriving on food residue stuck between your teeth can migrate to your bloodstream. There they can fuel inflammation that damages the lining of your arteries.

2. Don’t work extra-long hours, week after week. People who work 55 hours or more a week up their risk for stroke by 33%, and the risk for coronary heart disease by 13%, according to a study in The Lancet that looked at data on more than 600,000 people. Why? Working long hours can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, enhanced stress response, poor sleep habits or too much alcohol.

3. Quiet down your world. A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology explains that noise triggers a stress response that makes blood-vessel damaging hormones such as cortisol surge and causes a cascade of reactions that lead to problems with your blood vessels, metabolism and nervous system. So, turn down your headphones and earbuds; use earplugs when walking down noisy urban streets. In the bedroom, use fans or white noise machines and install thick curtains to block ambient noise from outside.

4. Expand your support network. A study published in BMJ Heart reveals that having few social connections or feeling lonely increases your risk of heart disease 29% and stroke by 32% compared with people who feel connected to others. Volunteer, join a club with activities that interest you, sign up for classes, and consider talk therapy to help you jump-start your efforts.