The headline “High blood pressure, high cholesterol: Avoid these 3 habits in the morning” is a simplified health claim. While no three habits guarantee good or bad health, some morning routines can affect blood pressure and overall heart health.
Three habits worth avoiding are:
- Skipping your prescribed medications
- If your doctor has prescribed blood pressure or cholesterol medicine, taking it consistently as directed is important.
- Starting the day with a high-salt, high-sugar breakfast
- Foods such as processed meats, pastries, and heavily salted foods can make it harder to manage blood pressure and cholesterol over time.
- Better options include fruit, oats, whole grains, yogurt, eggs, or nuts.
- Smoking or using tobacco shortly after waking
- Tobacco raises blood pressure temporarily and contributes to artery damage, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Other healthy morning habits include:
- Taking a short walk or doing light physical activity if you’re able.
- Drinking water after waking if you’re not on fluid restrictions.
- Managing stress with a calm morning routine.
- Monitoring your blood pressure at home if your healthcare professional has recommended it.
If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, the most effective long-term strategies are following your treatment plan, eating a heart-healthy diet, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking. One morning habit alone is unlikely to determine your cardiovascular health.
