Add years to your life by following a simple 8-step checklist for better heart health

Following these heart healthy habits can help to reverse your biological age and increase your longevity. Here what research suggests.

• Having a healthy heart can slow age-related decline and extend your life, a study suggests. 
• Cardiologists recommend habits like eating a nutritious diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep. 
• People who followed the heart-healthy habits were six years younger than their biological age.

Following eight simple habits can help improve your heart health to slow biological aging and add an average of six years onto your life, new research suggests.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 6,500 adult Americans, presented as preliminary findings at American Heart Association (AHA) 2023 Scientific Sessions. They wanted to compare participants actual (chronological) age with how quickly their bodies were aging. To do so, they used a measure called "phenotypic age," which uses health metrics including inflammation and organ function to help assess if your body is "younger" or "older" than your age would suggest, according to Nour Makarem, senior study author and professor of epidemiology at Columbia University.

"Phenotypic age is a practical tool to assess our body's biological aging process and a strong predictor of future risk of disease and death," Makaren said in a press release.

The researchers found that better heart health was linked to slower aging.

"We also found a dose-dependent association — as heart health goes up, biological aging goes down," Makaren said.

For example, the average age of study participants with good heart health was 41, but their biological age was 36.

In contrast, poor heart health was linked to faster aging — participants were 53 on average, but had a biological age of 57.

The researchers calculated that people with the best heart health habits were almost six years younger, biologically, than their age suggested.

They most closely followed the AHA's latest guidance for a heart-healthy lifestyle such a eating nutritious food, getting enough sleep and physical activity, and managing factors like cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar.

8 heart-healthy habits include a good diet, exercise, and managing weight and blood sugar

Just one in five Americans has good cardiovascular health, according to previous estimates from a panel of doctors writing on behalf of the AHA.

The key factors that predict your heart health, and point to habits you can follow for better cardiovascular wellness, are:

• Eating a healthy diet rich in whole, plant-based foods, with processed foods and red meat in moderation.

• Getting enough exercise, aiming for two and a half hours per week of moderate activity, ideally with a mix of strength training and cardio.

• Maintaining a healthy weight: While BMI isn't always an accurate predictor of health, higher levels of body fat are linked to health concerns like increased risk of chronic disease.

• Prioritizing quality sleep, between seven to nine hours per night, has major benefits for improving your mood, blood pressure, and even your weight.

• Avoiding nicotine can help prevent the serious health risks of smoking tobacco or using e-cigarettes.

• Managing cholesterol to avoid excessive LDL or "bad" cholesterol is important for good blood flow and preventing blockages that can cause heart attack or stroke.

• Aiming for balanced blood sugar by eating enough fiber and protein and exercising regularly helps to keep your metabolism healthy to decrease the risk of heart disease.

• Preventing high blood pressure is also key to avoiding heart attack and stroke through managing stress and following other healthy lifestyle tips on this list.

Checking off each of the eight factors on the list by incorporating them into daily habits can help you stave off an early death and boost your health for the long-haul, the researchers said.

"Greater adherence to all Life's Essential 8 metrics and improving your cardiovascular health can slow down your body's aging process and have a lot of benefits down the line," Makarem said in the press release. "Reduced biologic aging is not just associated with lower risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, it is also associated with longer life and lower risk of death."