February is Heart Awareness Month, and the Dream Team at Snore MD has gathered seven steps to help you and your loved one keep your heart healthy!
Manage your blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure dramatically increases the risk for stroke and heart disease, regularly check your blood pressure at a local Snore MD, or your doctor’s office.
Check and control your cholesterol. It is well known that excessive cholesterol can clog your blood vessels, increasing your risk of stroke.
Reduce your sugar consumption. Sugar in our bodies is converted to fuel we all need for our activities throughout the day, however, the majority of North Americans consume far too much sugar, resulting in weight gain.
Get out and exercise! Simply put, daily physical activity increases your quality of life and decreases your risk of diabetes, heart disease and depression.
Butt Out! Smoking is shown to increase the workload on your heart muscles, decreasing cardiac output, an important factor that can cause heart attacks.
Make sure quality sleep is part of your routine. Focus on healthy sleep, ensuring you get enough hours every night and by ensuring your room is cool and dark for a deep slumber. Deep, restorative sleep is crucial for heart functions.
Get your sleep checked! Not sure if you are having your best sleep possible? Snore MD makes it easy to ensure you are getting the critical sleep you need to keep your ticker healthy!
At Snore MD, we offer free sleep testing and can help you and your loved ones get the quality rest you need to live a long and healthy life!
About the author:
Michael Davis is Snore MD's Director of Optimal Patient Care and community awareness. Driven by a passion for quality of everyday life, Michael became a Respiratory Therapist in 2009 with the goal of helping Canadians sleep better. With experience in critical care medicine, sleep medicine and pulmonary disorders, Michael leads a team of 15 skilled Sleep Clinicians and Respiratory Therapists to help thousands of British Columbians Sleep Better - Live Better.