5 Low Impact Exercises for Healthy Living

Want to turn back the hands of time? Try exercising. 

Many of my patients have heard me sing praises for yoga and water aerobics so let’s dive deeper into the topic of low-impact exercises.

Whether you’re entering your 50s or already retired, exercise can make a huge difference in how you feel and move. But selecting the right activities can make all the difference in terms of results and motivation. For example, low-impact workouts can help you stay fit or get fit as you age, while limiting the pain and damage that higher intensity exercises can cause. If you have arthritis or lingering injuries or haven’t worked out in a while, low-impact workouts help you get moving and stay moving. It also improves the stabilizer muscles to improve balance and reduce fall risk.

Here are five low-impact cardio and resistance training exercises that are weight bearing and incorporate balance and flexibility training — great moves for aging exercisers. Be sure to discuss them with your doctor before starting. 

Cycling strengthens the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, improves joint mobility, eases stress and burns calories — all while being low impact. You can ride a stationary bike, go for a ride outside or, for a real challenge, take a cycling class. 

Cycling can be solitary activity — a time to decompress and relax. It can also be social; grab a friend and go for a ride. And if you like indoor recumbent bikes, you can get caught up on news, social media, emails and texts while riding. Have a competitive spirit? Train for a cycling road race like the Tulsa Tough.        

You’ll also burn hundreds of calories an hour (typically between 400 and 700) spinning. 

Pilates is a mat and equipment movement system developed by Joseph Pilates. Despite the thousands of die-hard Pilates fitness enthusiasts, it’s actually rooted in therapeutic exercise, making it an effective workout for all ages, fitness levels and injury histories. 

Pilates can help you develop a strong core, improving balance, overall stability and posture, as well as reducing back pain and fall risk. It’s downside? It’s not bone-building, so you’ll have to supplement it with walking or hiking. Don’t try teaching Pilates to yourself. Find a studio with small classes to learn the exercises with proper form and how to modify exercises for your specific injuries.

You’ll also burn between 175 and 250 calories per session, depending on intensity. 

Strength training obviously strengthens your musculoskeletal system, but it also improves cardiovascular endurance, bone density and daily metabolic rate. Like cycling, you have a few options. 

Weight training probably comes to mind first. If you’re new to weight training or just a little rusty, the machines at your local YMCA or gym are your safest bet. Once proficient, you can try cable machines or free weights. 

You also need a warmup and cooldown with stretches to complete your workout. Work with a trainer before beginning a weightlifting program. They’ll help you figure out the best exercises for your skill and age.

Don’t see yourself as a gym rat? Try a group resistance exercise class that incorporates props such as bands, balls or circles and/or body weight exercises like pushups, planks and squats. 

You’ll burn around 100 calories every half hour of resistance training (depending on your physical make up and the intensity of the workout).

Swimming works your entire body and builds cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength without impacting your joints. If you swam as a child, getting started may simply involve finding a pool. But if you never learned to swim or feel you need to brush up on your skills, most local swim schools and YMCAs offer adult swim classes. 

If you like the water but aren’t thrilled with getting your face or hair wet, consider water aerobics. Like swimming, these fun classes work your entire body without putting much pressure on your joints. Facilities with pools such as fitness centers, YMCAs and community centers offer classes. Water aerobics is for ALL ages so don’t shy away from this exercise based upon your perceived skill level.

Like cycling, swimming is a great way to burn calories — around 400 to 500 an hour. That’s also true of water aerobics.

Tai chi is arguably one of the best forms of exercise for people over 50. This Chinese martial art is often described as “meditation in motion.” Studies suggest tai chi’s standing movement combinations may reduce stress and improve coordination, bone density, balance, muscle strength, flexibility and aerobic conditioning. To get going, sign up for classes or hire a private trainer. Learn the exercises and understand your alignment before trying home workouts. You’ll burn between 200 and 300 calories per hour of tai chi.

Yoga is another effective workout. It’s easy on your joints and helps improve strength, balance, coordination and bone density. Some styles of yoga provide a rigorous workout, while others focus on teaching proper alignment or restoring the nervous system. If funds, time, or mobility are limiting your ability to utilize exercise classes like yoga, check out YouTube for free classes in your own home. Also, consider looking at chair yoga for seniors if you have significant mobility limitations.

If you have spinal issues such as herniated discs, stenosis, osteoporosis or arthritis, you’ll probably have to modify or maybe even skip certain yoga poses to avoid pain and injury. Forward flexion poses such as downward-facing dog, big toe pose and child’s pose can exacerbate herniations; extension poses like sphinx, cobra and cow poses are problematic for stenosis.

The wonderful thing about low-impact exercise is that it can help every person, no matter your physical prowess. Whether you are training for your 5th Ironman or just starting rehabilitation for a hip fracture, there is a class for you.

Bones, Bones, Bones

🌟 Osteoporosis: What You Can Do to Protect Your Bones

Osteoporosis is known as a “silent disease” because bone loss often goes unnoticed until a fracture happens. The good news? Bone health can be improved at any age. Here’s how.

🦴 What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis happens when bones lose density and become easier to break. Common fracture sites include the spine, hip, and wrist.

🧍‍♀️ Who’s at Higher Risk?

People are more likely to develop osteoporosis if they:

✔ are age 50+
✔ are female (especially post-menopause)
✔ are low weight or have low muscle mass
✔ have low calcium/Vitamin D intake
✔ smoke or drink heavily
✔ use long-term steroids
✔ have a family history of fractures

💪 Exercises That Help Build Strong Bones

Exercise doesn’t just help—it’s one of the best tools to slow bone loss and prevent falls. Three categories matter most:

1. Weight-Bearing Exercises (Bone Strength)

These make your bones work against gravity. Great options:

🏃‍♀️ Walking (30–45 min, 4–6 days/week)
🚶‍♂️ Hiking
🕺 Dancing
🎾 Pickleball or Tennis
🪁 Low-impact aerobics

Tip: If you haven’t been active, start with 10–15 minutes/day and add time gradually.

2. Resistance & Strength Training (Bone + Muscle)

Strength training stimulates bone remodeling and prevents falls. Examples:

🏋️ Free weights
📦 Resistance bands
💪 Bodyweight exercises:

Squats or chair-sits (10–15 reps)

Wall push-ups (10–15 reps)

Step-ups (10 each leg)

Target: 2–3 days/week with rest days in between.

3. Balance & Stability Training (Fall Prevention)

Most fractures happen after a fall. These help prevent that:

🧘 Tai Chi
🌿 Yoga (modified)
🦩 Single-leg balance (hold 10–30 sec)
👣 Heel-to-toe walking (down a hallway)

Even 5–10 minutes/day makes a difference.

🍎 Nutrition for Bone Health

Pair exercise with nutrients that support bone growth:

🥛 Calcium — dairy, leafy greens, almonds, tofu
🌞 Vitamin D — sunlight, fatty fish, fortified foods, supplements if needed
🥩 Protein — helps maintain muscle and bone structure

🩺 When Should You Ask About a Bone Scan?

Talk to your doctor if you:

✔ are a woman 65+ or a man 70+
✔ have broken a bone from a minor fall
✔ are younger but have risk factors
✔ are on long-term steroids
✔ are losing height or have a stooped posture

✨ Bottom Line

You can’t change getting older, but you can change how strong your bones stay. Early screening, smart exercise, and proper nutrition all reduce fracture risk and help keep you active and independent. Don’t forget, treating osteoporosis is MUCH easier than treating a hip fracture or being in chronic pain from a spine fracture. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about medications for treating osteoporosis; it is critical you understand the pros and cons of your treatment while minimizing side effects!

Want to Protect Your Heart? Give Up Juices, Sports Drinks

Over the last decade, sugar has practically become public health enemy number one. Studies have linked excessive added sugar consumption with a wide range of health problems including cavities, obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Unfortunately, the typical American diet is laden with sugar. Daily sugar intake should be limited to 6 teaspoons (or 100 calories) for women and 9 teaspoons (or 150 calories) for men, yet the average American adult consumes about 17 teaspoons of sugar each day, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Most Americans get their excess sugar not from teaspoons, however, but from processed foods. Added sugar is a standard ingredient in many processed foods because it helps preserve foods and improves the texture, color and browning capabilities.

Another reason sugar is used in processed foods is flavor. Fat adds flavor to foods, so when food manufacturers produce reduced-fat foods, they’ll increase the amount of sugar and/or salt to compensate for the loss of flavor. This means if you’re eating processed foods that have had fat reduced or even completely removed, there’s a good chance you’re consuming far more sugar than you realize.

But processed foods aren’t the only problem. Processed beverages like juices, sodas and sports drinks tend to be very high in sugar and have been linked to accelerated brain aging, liver disease and cancer in women.

And after researchers at Tufts University assessed data collected between 1980 and 2018 from the Global Dietary Database consortium, they found that overindulgence in sugar-sweetened beverages also is a significant contributor to millions of heart disease and type 2 diabetes cases throughout the world, according to a study published in Nature Medicine.

The researchers also pointed out that many sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed in lower and middle economic areas, which is particularly troubling because those areas are less equipped to handle the health issues. Most supermarket aisles are stocked with a wide range of sugar-sweetened beverages. Coffee house menus usually include items that have days’ worth of sugar in them. And some varieties of smoothies from retail smoothie bars are sugar bombs.        

Why Are Sugary Beverages So Unhealthy?

Researchers defined sugar-sweetened drinks as any beverage with 50 or more calories of added sugars. Sugar-sweetened drinks can be manufactured, commercially made or homemade and can include soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, punch, lemonade and aguas frescas. They excluded 100 percent fruit and/or vegetable juices, noncaloric artificially sweetened drinks and sweetened milk. Sugar-sweetened drinks are harmful because they are:

  • High in calories, contributing to weight gain
  • High in sugar. Based on AHA recommendations, these drinks have at least 50 percent of the daily recommended intake of sugar for women and 30 percent for men, raising the risk for various health issues.
  • Low in nutrients. Soda and energy drinks aren’t nutritious. Juices aren’t either, as the juicing process destroys the fiber in fruits in vegetables, stripping them of fiber and nutrients. Low-fiber foods and beverages leave your susceptible to overeating.
  • Rapidly digested. Liquids are digested quicker than food, making liquid sugar more problematic than solid sugar because it can spike blood sugar levels, triggering hunger when blood sugar levels crash.

In a nutshell, sugary beverages cause weight gain. Being overweight or obese raises your risk for insulin resistance and other metabolic issues that can evolve into heart disease – the number one cause of death in the U.S. – and type 2 diabetes, which has become an epidemic. Swap juices and smoothies with whole fruits and vegetables. Skip sodas, fruit drinks and punches and sports drinks. And of course, talk to your doctor for additional insights.

Acid Reflux and the Holidays

Cheers to the new year and big changes this year! I have exceptional news to share. My Army mission was cancelled so I will be able to return to clinic in Tulsa in the next week. My patients are welcome to call the office to schedule. Now, let’s get to our topic; gastroesophageal reflux disease.

It’s the holiday season – a time of joy, cheer and heartburn. Mainstream holiday fare – high-fat foods, alcohol and desserts – can trigger heartburn. Of course, heartburn isn’t just a holiday thing – many of us experience bad heartburn anytime we eat foods that are spicy or high in fat or drink alcohol – whether it’s New Year’s Eve or Super Bowl Sunday.

Celebrations can trigger heartburn because people tend to sit down, socialize, and eat and drink much more than usual.

Heartburn (also known as acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease) affects nearly one-third of Americans. In 2024, Americans spent about $3 billion on over-the-counter antacids to ease heartburn and indigestion. This amount of money continues rising.

Signs of Heartburn:

Most people recognize heartburn as a painful burning sensation behind the breastbone that tends to worsen at night, after eating, when bending over or lying down. This burning is caused by stomach acid backing up in the esophagus (the muscular tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach). There’s a band of muscles around the bottom of the esophagus – known as the esophageal sphincter. Normally, the sphincter is tight until you eat or drink something. At that point, the sphincter relaxes, allowing the passage of food and liquid into the stomach. When you are finished eating and drinking, the sphincter tightens. However, if the sphincter begins relaxing abnormally or weakens, you can experience a backflow of acid – hence the term acid reflux.

Heartburn Prevention:

Many people deal with heartburn on an occasional basis, particularly after special occasions, such as a dinner, cookout, or party. If this sounds like you, here are five tips to help you prevent it.

Avoid overeating. Too much food can expand your stomach, placing pressure on the esophageal sphincter and causing heartburn. Limit your portion sizes and overall amount of food you’re eating.

Eat slowly. Eating too quickly makes it more difficult for your digestive system to break down food, raising your chances for heartburn. Taking smaller bites and chewing food well before swallowing also helps.

Skip foods that elicit heartburn by relaxing the esophageal sphincter and increasing acid production. Foods that can relax the esophageal sphincter include high-fat foods (fried, marbled meats, cream sauces, whole dairy products), peppermint and caffeinated foods and beverages (chocolate, coffee, tea, cocoa). Foods that increase acid production include caffeinated foods and beverages, carbonated beverages, alcohol, spicy foods and acidic fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruits and tomatoes.

Wait a few hours after dinner before going to bed. Lying down after eating can trigger heartburn, so give yourself some time between dinner and going to bed and skip late-night snacking. Once you’re in bed, try not to sleep flat on your back as it can cause stomach contents to press against the esophageal sphincter. You can ease the pressure on your esophageal sphincter by propping your head higher than your stomach with a wedge pillow.

Wear loose-fitting clothes. Tight pants and belts can cause the stomach to jam its contents against the esophageal sphincter, which cause heartburn.

Talk to your doctor about your heartburn if you:

Struggle with heartburn multiple times a week.

Find that antacids have become ineffective.

Are experiencing nausea, vomiting, unintentional weight loss, or a loss of appetite.

I am also interested in knowing if my patients require daily Prilosec (omeprazole) or Nexium (esomeprazole) as this can change my management of your acid reflux.

Merry Christmas and happy new year!

Processed Red Meat Increases the Risk of Dementia

It’s not news that processed red meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, jerky and cold cuts have a bad health rap. Studies have tied them to the risk of obesity, heart disease, stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. Some researchers suspect that processed red meat can affect cognitive health, even though study results have been inconsistent.

A recent study is pointing to another problem with processed red meat consumption: Eating hot dogs and sliced lunch meat may increase your risk for dementia, according to research presented at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia and online. 
 

Processed Red Meat and Dementia

Researchers working for the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA) looked for a possible connection between processed red meat and decreased cognition by following more than 130,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study for 43 years.

Every two to four years, researchers surveyed participants’ diets to track food frequency, such as how many servings of processed red meat they consumed. A serving of processed red meat is considered two slices of bacon, a hot dog, two links of sausage or kielbasa and one salami or bologna sandwich. During the study, 11,173 participants were diagnosed with dementia. After assessing the data, researchers found: 

  • Eating one-fourth of a serving or more of processed red meat each day raised the risk of developing dementia by 14 percent compared to participants who ate less than a tenth of a daily serving.
  • Swapping one serving of processed red meat with one serving of nuts and legumes each day lowered the risk of developing dementia by 20 percent.  

When researchers went deeper with 17,500 of the participants, they found an additional serving of processed red meat was linked to a hastening of cognitive aging by:

  • 1.61 years, primarily in the areas of overall cognitive function, language skills, executive function and cognitive processing.
  • 1.69 years primarily in the areas of verbal memory, i.e., recalling and understanding words and sentences.

Why are processed red meats unhealthy?

Processed red meats are convenient, affordable and a dietary staple for many Americans. In fact, food manufacturers estimate that Americans consume 800 million pounds of bologna, more than two billion pounds of bacon, 20 billion hot dogs and more than 250 million pounds of pepperoni every year. However, these meats have ties to health issues such as dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer because of the way they’re preserved.

  • Preserving meat prolongs shelf life, adds flavor and improves taste and color. There are two methods:   
    Smoking. Manufacturers cook the meat at a very high temperature. This triggers the formation of unhealthy chemicals, such as heterocyclic amines, polycyclic amines, acrylamide and acrolein. It also causes the pigment in hemoglobin – the protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body — to break down, forming N-nitroso, a compound that can damage DNA in cells. Furthermore, nitrates and nitrites are often added to help prolong shelf life, but nitrosamines can form when the meat is exposed to high heat.
  • Curing. Food companies add nitrite and sodium nitrite (salt) to meat to improve taste, create a pinkish color, reduce moisture from meat and slow bacterial growth.      

Researchers think the harmful nitrites/nitrates can harm the brain. Cured meats typically have a high salt content, which can elevate blood pressure and damage blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Studies have linked high blood pressure with strokes and brain shrinkage. It’s also possible that high blood pressure plays a role in the development of brain plaques and tangles involved in Alzheimer’s disease.

Besides brain health, eating too much processed meat can affect your heart health. These meats are high in saturated fat, which can increase your bad cholesterol levels, raising your risk for a heart attack or stroke. Unhealthy blood fat levels also raise the risk for insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, which is another risk factor for heart disease.

Processed red meats also have a link to cancer. The chemicals in smoked meat can damage DNA, the root cause of cancer. A high heme intake has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancer. Nitrosamines and excessive dietary salt both contribute to stomach cancer.

The study results did not find an association between meats that weren’t processed and dementia. Unprocessed meats, particularly lean meats, along with other components of the Mediterranean diet, such as nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains and less processed dairy have brain health benefits.


Tips for Controlling Sodium, Sodium Nitrites and Nitrates and Sodium in Your Diet


If you can’t do without your bacon and eggs at breakfast, you might be able to find a nitrate-free bacon that’s organic or from a local source like a farmer’s market. Make sure you cook the bacon at a lower heat and for a longer time without burning it. You can also replace bacon with grilled mushrooms or eggplant because of their savory flavor. Some stores even carry mushroom bacon and/or eggplant bacon. Of course, if you’re looking for a protein substitute, consider cheese.

For lunch, swap your deli meat sandwiches with canned tuna or salmon. Skinless barbecue chicken also might work. If you snack on processed meats like jerky, try cheese with healthy crackers, vegetables with a healthy yogurt dip or humus with pita bread.

Read food labels. Prepackaged food items should not have more than 500 mg of sodium per serving. Avoid foods that list sodium nitrate E251, sodium nitrite E250 or potassium nitrite E249. Be careful if you see the terms “uncured” or “no nitrites added” on labels. These meats aren’t necessarily healthier. They may have used another method of preserving, such as celery powder and still be high in nitrites and nitrates.

Your best bet is unprocessed meats like fresh chicken, turkey, beef, pork, and fish.

What’s the Word on Hormone Therapy in Women?

HRT Reimagined: Fresh Evidence That’s Finally Freeing Women from the Fear

My next couple of blog posts will focus on hormone replacement therapy. Let’s begin with the topic that will affect 100% of women.

For over two decades, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been the villain in the menopause story, thanks to a single study that sent shockwaves through women’s health. But what if I told you the plot twist is here? As of November 2025, the FDA just stripped away those scary black box warnings, backed by mountains of new data showing HRT isn’t the risk-laden monster we thought. It’s more like a trusty sidekick – powerful when timed right, personalized, and used wisely.

If you’re navigating hot flashes, bone worries, or that foggy brain fog, this post is your roadmap. We’ll unpack the old myths, spotlight the game-changing evidence, and chart a path forward. Because menopause isn’t a crisis; it’s a chapter, and you’ve got the tools to own it.

The Shadow That’s Lifting: A Quick History Lesson

Picture the early 2000s: The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study drops like a bombshell, linking HRT to higher risks of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Prescriptions plummeted 80%, and generations of women suffered in silence, opting for symptom bandaids over real relief. But here’s the catch – that study used an outdated progesterone formula on women averaging 63 years old, well past prime time for starting HRT. Fast-forward to today: Reanalyses and fresh trials reveal those risks were overstated, especially for younger women. It’s like judging a Ferrari by how it handles in a snowstorm -context is everything.

The New Evidence: Benefits That Outshine the Risks

Science doesn’t stand still, and neither has our understanding of HRT (think estrogen alone for women without a uterus, or combined with progestogen for those with one). The 2025 Menopausal Hormone Therapy Guidelines and recent mega-studies paint a brighter picture, emphasizing that when you start matters more than ever.

Hot Flashes and Beyond: Symptom Superhero HRT slashes vasomotor symptoms (those infamous hot flashes and night sweats) by up to 75% with standard doses, or 65% with low ones – far better than any non-hormonal alternative. It also tackles genitourinary syndrome (vaginal dryness, UTIs) with low-dose topical estrogen, which barely absorbs systemically and keeps things safe. Newer options like neurokinin antagonists (e.g., fezolinetant) are emerging for those who can’t or won’t go hormonal, but HRT remains the gold standard for full relief.

Heart, Bones, and Brain: Long-Term Wins Initiate within 10 years of menopause (or before 60), and the perks stack up: 25-50% drop in fatal heart events, 50-60% fewer bone fractures, 64% less cognitive decline, and 35% lower Alzheimer’s risk. A massive 2025 cohort study of 120 million records confirmed no uptick in breast cancer, heart attacks, or strokes for perimenopausal starters—actually hinting at protective effects. All-cause mortality dips by 30%, too. It’s like investing early in a compound-interest account for your health.

The Fine Print on Risks: Manageable, Not Monstrous No sugarcoating: Combined HRT carries a modest breast cancer bump (about 9 extra cases per 10,000 women over 20 years), but estrogen alone actually lowers it long-term. Blood clots (VTE) double with oral forms – especially in year one – but transdermal patches slash that risk. Strokes? Only a concern if you start late (post-60). And dementia? Tied to older initiators, not early birds. The FDA’s warning purge reflects this: Modern formulations and timing flip the script.

Making It Yours: A Personalized Playbook

This isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s personalized medicine. Chat with your doc about your history – family cancers? Clotting issues? They’ll tailor dose (lowest effective wins), route (transdermal for safety), and duration (no hard cutoff at 65 if it’s helping). For early menopause or POI, aim to continue till your mid-50s. And pro tip: Pair it with lifestyle allies like weight training for bones or mindfulness for stress—HRT amplifies, it doesn’t solo.

WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

For women under 60 or within 10 years of menopause, HRT’s benefits (75% symptom relief, 50% heart protection, 30% mortality drop) outweigh risks (modest breast/clot bumps, minimized by transdermal/low-dose). Individualize it – chat with your doc.

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Helps Your Heart

Do you like sleeping in on the weekends? Many of us look forward to staying under the covers on our Saturdays and Sundays, especially after a late night or a long week. The extra shuteye helps us recover from missed sleep during the week.

Or so we think. Unfortunately, this kind of inconsistent sleep pattern has consequences for our health – from our relationships to our diet, and, perhaps most importantly, our heart. And trying to catch up on the weekends doesn’t seem to help. Restorative sleep also happens to be one of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, meaning it’s imperative!

According to a 2023 study, sleep irregularity and atherosclerosis are linked. Atherosclerosis is a condition where plaque — cholesterol, fats and other substances – build up along the arterial walls. This plaque can reduce the flow of oxygen to critical organs, ultimately leading to a heart attack or stroke.

How can your sleep patterns affect your arteries?

First, let’s discuss the benefits of good sleep habits. Our bodies remain busy, even while we sleep.

Throughout the night, our heart and respiration rates change. Our metabolism slows down, conserving energy. Blood pressure rises and falls. Hormones release to help repair cells and restore energy. The brain stores new information and rids itself of toxins. Even nerve cells get busy, talking to each other and reorganizing to support healthy brain functions.

These processes support many of the functions our bodies handle on a daily basis– from helping repair muscles to supporting our emotional health. Good sleep also can improve insulin regulation and strengthen our immune system. It even supports weight management efforts.

If you’re not getting enough sleep — or if your sleep schedule is irregular —you’re depriving your body of these benefits and putting yourself at risk for all sorts of conditions, including metabolic disorders, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

The studies linking poor quality and irregular sleep to these conditions have been piling up for years. Consider one from 2019 on sleep and metabolism. In the study, researchers split a group of 36 people into three groups for a two-week experiment: the first group slept up to nine hours a night; the second was allowed only five hours of sleep; and the third slept five hours during the week but could sleep late on the weekends.

Participants in the second and third groups gained weight and had reduced insulin sensitivity, both risk factors for type 2 diabetes. That’s in just two weeks! Imagine the impact if they had kept up their poor sleep schedule.

So back to how this can affect our heart health. Earlier studies have tied poor sleep patterns to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, asthma and obesity, which all negatively impact the heart.

The new study didn’t look just at a lack of sleep but at irregular sleep, as well. Participants who had irregular sleep schedules were more likely to have a coronary artery calcium score above 300, which is associated with a higher risk of heart attack. They were also more likely to have an abnormal ankle-brachial index, which can indicate narrowing or blockage of blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your legs. Both indicate atherosclerosis.

How do you lower this risk? Start by getting more sleep and sleeping more regularly. Guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommend that you sleep at least seven hours a night if you’re 18 to 60. If you’re older, you may need seven to nine hours.

If you’re having trouble getting enough sleep, work with your primary care physician. They know how important sleep is and can help coach you.

I like to sleep in on weekend mornings as much as the next person. Just don’t let those sleep-ins be a substitute for the sleep you should be getting every night.