- Researchers say that small changes in sleep, diet, and exercise can have a substantial impact on heart health.
- They report that modest changes, such as 11 more minutes of sleep per night and 5 additional minutes of exercise per day, can lower the risk of serious cardiovascular events.
- Experts say the findings are encouraging for people who can only make small adjustments to their daily lifestyle routines.
Making small improvements in how much you sleep, what you eat, and how much you exercise can significantly reduce your risk of heart health issues, according to a new study.
Researchers report that people who get 11 more minutes of sleep, add 5 minutes of physical activity to their daily routine, and eat a quarter-cup more vegetables per day can lower their risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, by 10%.
They added that people who have an optimal combination of lifestyle behaviors that include 8 to 9 hours of sleep per night, 42 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, and a moderate diet quality score have a 57% lower risk of major cardiovascular events compared to people with the least optimal health profile.
They noted that their research was an observational study, so it cannot establish a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between lifestyle habits and cardiovascular events. They recommended conducting intervention trials to confirm their findings.
The researchers said their study could help people adopt simple lifestyle changes to improve heart health.
“We show that combining small changes in a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health,” said Nicholas Koemel, the lead study author and a research fellow and dietitian at the University of Sydney in Australia, in a press release.
“This is very encouraging news because making a few small, combined changes is likely more achievable and sustainable for most people when compared with attempting major changes in a single behavior.”
In this study, researchers examined data from more than 53,000 participants in the UK Biobank. The median age of the subjects was 63 years and nearly 57% were male.
The Biobank data on sleep and exercise was gathered from wearable technology such as smartwatches. The information on diet was gleaned from self-reports from participants and measured on a 10-item diet quality score.
The researchers concluded that even “modest differences” in combined behavior levels “were associated with meaningful reductions” in the risks of major cardiovascular events.
Experts who weren’t involved in the study said the findings provide guidance for both individuals and medical professionals.
“This is an encouraging finding that reiterates the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to optimize our heart health,” said Cheng-Han Chen, MD, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA.
“This is a very encouraging study because it shows that even small lifestyle changes can have a meaningful impact on heart health,” added Jennifer Wong, MD, a cardiologist and medical director of noninvasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA.
“Many people feel overwhelmed by the idea of completely changing their habits, but this research suggests that small, consistent improvements can still reduce cardiovascular risk,” she told Healthline. “These small changes help improve blood pressure, metabolism, inflammation, and overall heart function over time,” she said.
The researchers noted that sleep, diet, and exercise are usually studied independently, but they said that these “behaviors are uniquely interdependent and have bidirectional impacts on one another.”
The researchers explained that “poor sleep can disrupt the normal neurotransmission of appetite hormones, influencing food selection and driving an increase in total energy intake.”
They added that “physical activity may improve sleep quality, while poor sleep may limit functional capacity due to fatigue.”
“Diet quality is also interlinked, demonstrating a relationship with sleep onset and wake time as well as energy and regulation for normal physical activity,” the researchers wrote.
Chen agreed that looking at all aspects of lifestyle behavior is a productive approach.
“We already know that physical activity level, diet quality, and sleep quality are all important factors influencing our risk of cardiovascular disease,” he told Healthline. “While most research studies examine each factor in isolation, it is likely that there are synergistic benefits to improving multiple lifestyle factors at once.”
Madeline Sterling, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine, echoed these sentiments.
“This study offers an important step forward in terms of how we think about optimizing cardiovascular health,” she told Healthline. “It offers a window into key behaviors – sleep, physical activity, and nutrition – and how these influence peoples’ progression toward disease.”
The American Heart Association (AHA)
According to the AHA, heart disease kills more people in the United States than any other cause. The AHA reports that there are more heart disease deaths than from cancer and accidental deaths combined.
Past research has noted other risk factors for heart disease.
A 2025 study reported that even occasional smoking can increase cardiovascular risks by 50%.
A 2024 study listed inflammatory diets high in red meat, white flour, and sugar as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
In a 2026 study, researchers found that exposure to light during sleep is associated with a higher risk of heart disease.
The AHA’s
In addition, experts say heart health is vital at every age.
A 2025 study reported that it’s even more important for adults 18 to 30 years of age to develop heart-healthy lifestyles to help prevent cardiovascular disease later in life.
Experts say there are many ways to help reduce heart disease risk.
Chen said that some people can make major changes in their daily lifestyle while others may need a slower, more incremental approach.
“While modest lifestyle changes do reduce cardiovascular risk, the study also showed that larger ‘optimal’ changes reduce risk even further,” he said. “For people who may be intimidated or discouraged by having to make many large changes in their lifestyle at once, I would encourage them to start with ‘baby steps,’ as some improvement is better than none.”
Wong agreed. “Bigger lifestyle changes will generally lead to greater health benefits, but what’s important here is that modest changes are still meaningful,” she said. “Small changes are often more sustainable, and they can be the first step toward larger improvements in long-term heart health.”
“My advice is to start small and stay consistent: Add a short daily walk, aim for slightly better sleep, and try to include more vegetables in your meals. Over time, these small habits build momentum and can significantly improve cardiovascular health,” Wong continued.
Sterling, who was the chair of an AHA committee that wrote a
“As a primary care doctor, I like to talk to patients about their cardiovascular health in the context of their current conditions and risk factors, but also considering their priorities, life circumstances, family history, work, resources, and environment,” she explained.
“Nearly everyone can benefit from improving their health in some way and from lifestyle change. Small and steady progress across several behaviors can really make a difference,” Sterling said.
