As the New Year approaches, it’s the perfect time to look beyond resolutions and focus on habits that truly support long-term health – starting with your heart. Small, consistent lifestyle changes practised daily can go a long way in improving cardiovascular health and lowering disease risk over time. This year, consider welcoming 2026 with mindful commitments to your heart, prioritising movement, balanced nutrition, rest and stress management to protect its health for years to come.
Dr Mohit Singh Tandon – a senior consultant in the Department of Non-Invasive Cardiology at Fortis Escort Hospital, Okhla, New Delhi – shared with HT Lifestyle five healthy habits to adopt in 2026 to help protect and strengthen your heart, explaining how each of them support cardiovascular health.
Move daily for at least 30 minutes
According to Dr Tandon, regular and consistent physical activity is the key to a healthy heart. It not only helps strengthen the heart muscles but also improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels, manages weight, and enhances overall cardiovascular fitness.
He recommends, “Heart protective activities like brisk walking, cycling, and swimming for at least 30 mins can help in reducing heart disease risk. Also, start any exercise routine gradually and progressively increase the duration, intensity, and frequency of workouts.”
Eat mindfully
The cardiologist emphasises eating with awareness rather than strict restrictions, noting that a heart-healthy diet doesn’t call for extreme dieting but focuses on balanced, nourishing meals. He recommends including fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, healthy fats, and unprocessed foods.
He also adds, “To maintain optimal heart health, it’s essential to maintain a balance when it comes to sweet and salty foods. The worst foods for heart health that should be avoided completely include, trans fats, saturated fats, excessive consumption of processed and red meats, sugary foods and sugary beverages, high-sodium foods, fried foods, excessive caffeine and excessive salt in home cooking.”
Quality sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours
Dr Tandon highlights that inadequate sleep is a chief driver of cardiovascular issues, since sleep regulates blood pressure, metabolism and even stress. He explains, “If you sleep less, your body produces more stress hormones that constrict your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure. So, aim for quality sleep of at least seven to eight hours. It is an important recharge for your body and mind.”
Manage stress
According to the cardiologist, chronic stress – whether from work pressures or family responsibilities – along with long working hours, a sedentary lifestyle marked by prolonged screen time, and a lack of regular physical activity can all elevate the risk of developing serious conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. Together, these factors significantly increase the likelihood of experiencing a heart attack at a much younger age.
Therefore, he recommends, “Find ways to relax and lower your stress to protect your heart. Try to practice deep breathing, meditation or listen to calm or soothing music – it can help in lowering stress.”
Know your health scorecard
Dr Tandon recommends conducting regular health check-ups to detect high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels, since these are conditions that can go unnoticed and worsen over time.
He highlights, “A heart check up is not only a way to diagnose or treat heart problems, but also a way to prevent them. By getting a heart check up regularly, you can monitor your heart health, identify any issues early, and take action to protect your heart and your life.”
