February is National Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. Everyone knows that a balanced diet, exercise, and no-smoking lifestyle can help keep your heart healthy. But fewer people know these surprising secrets to keeping your ticker beating stronger and longer. The good news is that most of these senior living and heart health strategies are incredibly easy and enjoyable to put into action.

  1. A Chuckle a Day Keeps the Cardiologist Away

A study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin measured the blood flow of 17 healthy adults before and after they watched their choice of either a 30-minute comedy or a documentary. The biggest differences in artery function were revealed in a test called “flow-mediated dilation and flexibility.” For those who watched a comedy, these health-positive indicators improved immediately—and persisted for 24 hours. On the other hand, the artery function actually decreased slightly in the volunteers who watched a documentary.

  2. Chocoholics, Wine Lovers and Coffee Connoisseurs Rejoice

Senior living dining can be more than delicious when you add chocolate, wine and coffee to the menu. Wine and the cacao beans in chocolate are loaded with antioxidants. Enjoyed in moderation, they have been shown to increase good cholesterol, lower bad cholesterol and improve blood-clotting function.

The news on the coffee front is just as good. Drinking coffee can stabilize heart rhythms in people with abnormal heart rates. Savoring a cup of coffee each day on a regular basis can lower your chances of getting heart disease or having a stroke. Caffeine, in moderation, can also reduce inflammation, which has been shown to be the cause of many adverse health conditions.

  3. Put a Song in Your Heart

Listening to your best-loved music is a pleasure that comes with significant side benefits for heart health side. In a recent study at Massachusetts General Hospital, bed-ridden patients who listened to 30 minutes of music had lower blood pressure, slower heart rates and lower stress levels than other patients. In fact, a study in Hong Kong found when older subjects spent 25 minutes a day for four weeks listening to their favorite musical genre their systolic blood pressure dropped by 12 points and their diastolic number went down by 5 points.

  4. Lower Blood Pressure with Soothing Scents

Here’s another reason to love luxuriating in a bath lit by your favorite scented candles. A 2012 study found that breathing in plant-based essential oils from basil, cassia, clary sage, eucalyptus and others can lower blood pressure through relaxation. Surrounding yourself with sweet scents is a pleasure that can help reduce the stress on your heart.

  5. Enjoy Some Puppy Love

Snuggling with Snoopy or playing fetch with Fido is more than just fun. They’ve been proven to be good for your heart. The fact is, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), people who own pets tend to live longer, have lower risks for high blood pressure and heart disease. They also have better cholesterol numbers and are less stressed. It’s no surprise that dog owners tend to be more active than those who don’t have dogs. And there are significant emotional benefits in sharing your senior living experience with a furry friend who loves you unconditionally.

  6. Spend The Right Amount of Time in Dreamland

Both too little or too much shuteye can have a big impact on heart health. A 2011 study conducted by the European Heart Journal found people who sleep less than six hours a night were 48 percent more likely to develop heart disease, while those who spent over nine hours in bed were 38 percent more likely to develop the same heart disease.

Make time to take care of your heart health in all the ways that you can.

MorningStar Senior Living

If your loved one lives far from family and friends, it could be time to move into a senior living community nearer to their adult children where they’ll have the constant companionship of fellow seniors and a compassionate service team. At MorningStar Senior Living, a 24/7 team is dedicated to offering care and hospitality services that meet each resident’s social, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.