Building Heart-Healthy Habits This February (4-min. read)
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Collapse ▲February 12, 2025 – Article written by
February is American Heart Month, making it the perfect time to establish heart-healthy habits. Today, let’s explore valuable opportunities to help you prioritize yourself and your heart this semester.
Move Your Body
Physical activity can relieve stress, lower blood pressure and decrease your overall risk of heart disease. Hitting any movement goal, even a realistic one, can be hard to achieve at first. The theme of this month can be giving yourself grace on achieving a fitness milestone because chances are you’re farther along your journey than you thought!
The CDC recommends about 150 minutes of physical activity each day, and broken down, that equates to 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Do you walk to and from class or work? What about completing simple chores throughout the house? Plan out your activities with the Move Your Way® activity planner to start setting realistic goals that fit into your daily schedule.
If you are looking for ways to spice-up your fitness routine with friendly motivation, check out the wide variety of fitness classes offered at NC State Wellness and Recreation. Before your first class of the day, you could knock out your goal with an early Cycle Power 30 class. For busier days, utilize the Active Study Space located on the second floor of Wellness and Recreation. Here, you can find movement while simultaneously working on an assignment or task.
Improve Your Sleeping Schedule
According to the American Heart Association, the better sleep you get, the healthier your heart will be. For this heart-healthy habit, we recommended setting aside time this semester to create healthier sleeping habits. One way to improve your sleep is by setting aside a specific time to wind down each night.
Rather than completing a project right before your bedtime, try closing your laptop an hour before you plan to go to sleep. This gives your brain and body time to wind down and prepare to rest. For more tips like this, check out NC State Wellness and Recreation’s Pack to Sleep Wellness Challenge this March. Set an early reminder to register here!
Spend Time Outside Each Day
Spending time outside is key to boosting serotonin, which is important for our happiness and well-being. It is also scientifically proven that spending time outside can improve your heart health by decreasing your blood pressure and heart rate. With these benefits in mind, we recommend making it a habit to get outside each day — even if it’s just for a moment.
There are plenty of ways to do this, like hiking at Umstead State Park or biking around Lake Raleigh. Or, when the weather is nice, take a break from the library and study on the field of the Court of Carolinas.
Additionally, NC State’s Outdoor Adventures Center has many opportunities to explore nature in unique ways. Some activities scheduled for this semester include an excursion to Lake Raleigh for stand-up, paddle-board yoga. Participating in these group experiences provides a fun way to challenge yourself, improve your physical fitness, and add variety to your routine, all while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
Eat Intentionally to Fuel Your Body and Mind
We can always think intentionally about the foods that fuel our body and mind. While general tips to limit sodium and sugar consumption may be helpful, setting specific and productive goals may require more guidance.
As a student at NC State, your first two appointments with a nutritionist at Campus Health are free, and also be done via telehealth. This is a great opportunity to work with a professional to explore sustainable meal options that fit your health needs.
NC State employees under the State Employees Health Insurance can also take advantage of nutrition counseling as a covered service. Heart-healthy foods can be found for free to all NC State community members at the Feed the Pack Food Pantry, so don’t forget to check out their hours of operation and find time to stop by!
Know Your Heart History
Understanding your family’s heart history can make a significant difference in preventing heart disease. You can ask guided questions to gather information about relatives and collect your family health history. Asking these questions regarding your heart history can help you paint the full picture about your heart health. Using tools such as My Family Health Portrait to organize the information you receive and help you have valuable conversations with your family and doctors.
What about the “Intangible Heart”?
Your “intangible heart” is what makes you, you. It is the unique way you show up for yourself and for those around you. Discovering new hobbies and channeling your inner-creativity can warm your intangible heart. At NC State, there are plenty of opportunities to explore activities that both enhance your creativity and provide a break from the hassles of daily life.
For example, students can participate in workshops organized at the NC State Crafts Center, ranging from woodworking to stained-glass. Additionally, the Makerspace, located in D.H. Hill Library, provides students, faculty, and staff hands-on access to technologies and tools for crafting and creating; 3D printers, sewing machines, a laser cutter, are just some of the many items you can use to bring any creative vision to life. Wellness and Recreation is excited to be partnering with the Makerspace and the NC State University Libraries to embody the creative spirit and tap into the intangible heart with the Howl and Chill: Love in a Box. Learn more here!
We hope you will use both the habits and information above to show yourself – and your heart – some love.
https://news.dasa.ncsu.edu/wellness-wednesday-building-heart-healthy-habits-this-february/