6 heart-healthy habits for women
Heart disease rates have been dropping for everyone but younger women. Here are ways to help reverse that trend.
Jan, 2026
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Deaths from heart disease have declined steadily in the United States for decades—but not for younger and middle-aged women. In recent years, more women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s have died of heart disease.
But there are steps you can take to lower the risk of heart problems. In fact, research suggests that women who adopt certain healthy habits in their 20s and 30s can greatly reduce their chances of developing heart disease as they grow older. Here are six to know about.
Written byTammy Worth.
Medically reviewed byAmy Gonzales, MD.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics: Heart Disease Deaths. Accessed June 3 + 20
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics: Heart Disease Deaths. Accessed June 3, 2025.
- Minissian MB, Mehta PK, et al. Ischemic Heart Disease in Young Women: JACC Review Topic of the Week. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022 Sep 6;80(10):1014-1022.
- American College of Cardiology. Heart Attacks Increasingly Common in Young Adults. May 7, 2019.
- Arora S, Stouffer GA, et al. Twenty Year Trends and Sex Differences in Young Adults Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction. Circulation. 2019 Feb 19;139(8):1047-1056.
- Chomistek AK, Chiuve SE, et al. Healthy lifestyle in the primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease among young women. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015 Jan 6;65(1):43-51.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking and Tobacco Use: Health Effects of Cigarettes: Cardiovascular Disease. September 17, 2024.
- American Heart Association. American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. January 19, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity Basics: What Counts as Physical Activity for Adults. December 6, 2023.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 11A. Time spent in leisure and sports activities for the civilian population by selected characteristics, averages per day, 2023 annual averages. June 27, 2024.
- Kim Y, Yeung SLA, et al. Genetic susceptibility, screen-based sedentary activities and incidence of coronary heart disease. BMC Med. 2022 May 24;20(1):188.
- American College of Cardiology. Alcohol Raises Heart Disease Risk, Particularly Among Women. March 28, 2024.
- World Health Organization. Alcohol is one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer. October 20, 2021.
- American College of Cardiology. Mediterranean Diet Cuts Heart Disease Risk by Nearly Half. March 4, 2015.
- Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, et al. 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2021 Dec 7;144(23):e472-e487.
- Harvard Health Publishing. Lifestyle changes to lower heart disease risk. November 4, 2019.
- Khera AV, Emdin CA, et al. Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Coronary Disease. N Engl J Med. 2016 Dec 15;375(24):2349-2358.
- MD Anderson Center. What are ultra-processed foods? March 16, 2022.
- Mendoza K, Smith-Warner SA, et al. Ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease: analysis of three large US prospective cohorts and a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2024 Sep 2;37:100859.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep: About Sleep. May 15, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease: About Sleep and Your Heart Health. May 15, 2024.
- UChicago Medicine. Sleep Prevention and Heart Disease: Everything You Need to Know. January 9, 2024.
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