Your heart might be keeping a secret from you—and it’s not a good one. According to new research led by Northwestern Medicine and published in JAMA Cardiology, many American adults have hearts that are biologically older than the number on their driver's license.

This isn't just a metaphor for feeling worn out or tired. It’s a real, measurable difference in cardiovascular health, and the implications are serious. Using a new “heart age” calculator based on American Heart Association data, researchers found that the average American’s heart is several years older than their actual age. For many, especially men, people of color, and those with lower income or education levels, the gap is even wider—sometimes by over a decade. So, how do you know how old your heart really is? More importantly, what can you do about it?

What Is “Heart Age” and Why It Is Important?

Heart age is a simplified way to express your cardiovascular risk. Traditional risk assessments—like the American Heart Association’s PREVENT equations—typically offer percentages: your doctor might say you have a 10% risk of a heart attack over the next 10 years. But these statistics can feel abstract and hard to act on.

Dr. Sadiya Khan, professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Northwestern University and senior author of the study, believes translating that risk into an “age” makes it more relatable. Telling someone their heart is 60 when they’re only 45? That hits differently.

“The exciting thing about this tool is that there are a lot of things people can do,” Khan said in a statement. “The hope is that this empowers people to optimise their heart health for healthier aging and longer health spans.”

Alarming Trends Across Demographics

The researchers analyzed health data from over 14,000 U.S. adults aged 30 to 79 who had no prior history of cardiovascular disease. They used a publicly available, free online tool to assess heart age based on several inputs: blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking status, diabetes, medications, and more. The results weren’t pretty:

• Women had an average heart age of 55.4, despite having an average chronological age of just 51.3.
• Men fared even worse, with an average heart age of 56.7 versus an actual age of 49.7.
• The disparities grew starker across race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic lines:
• Black men had hearts that were, on average, 8.5 years older than their chronological age.
• Hispanic men followed closely at 7.9 years.
• Black women had heart ages 6.2 years older than their actual age.

People with only a high school education or less were especially at risk, with nearly a third having hearts that were 10 years older than their birth certificates would suggest.

“This helps to highlight the need for more urgent action,” Khan said. “Identifying individuals who have an ‘older’ heart age can help prompt action to prioritise prevention in at-risk individuals.”

Why Your Heart Might Be Aging Faster Than You Are?

It boils down to a few key lifestyle and health factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, lack of exercise, poor diet, and unmanaged diabetes.

These factors quietly and persistently damage the cardiovascular system. Over time, this wear and tear increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure—sometimes without obvious symptoms until it’s too late.

Khan and her team hope the heart age calculator will help make this silent damage more visible—and more actionable.

Can You Prevent Your Heart From Ageing?

Even if your heart is older than it should be, that’s not the end of the story. Cardiovascular aging isn’t fixed. In many cases, it can be slowed—or even reversed—with the right interventions. According to the researchers, key lifestyle changes that can bring your heart age closer to your real age (or even make it younger) include:

• Quitting smoking
• Improving diet (less sodium, more fruits and vegetables)
• Increasing physical activity (at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week)
• Managing high blood pressure and cholesterol with medications when needed
• Monitoring and treating diabetes effectively

But Dr Khan emphasizes that these actions aren’t just for those already diagnosed with heart disease. Younger adults, too, can benefit from understanding and addressing their heart age early—well before symptoms appear.

A Simple Online Tool With Major Potential

The free, public-facing heart age calculator developed by Khan’s team is already online and available to anyone. It takes just a few minutes and requires basic information like your age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and smoking status.

The idea is to encourage a shift from reactive to proactive care giving people a clearer sense of urgency before a heart event forces the issue.

“We hope this tool helps doctors and patients discuss risk for heart disease more effectively,” said Khan. “The important thing is that we have very good options available in our toolbox to help slow that aging down if we can identify it.”

Although this study focuses on the U.S., the implications are global. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. A tool like this, paired with access to routine health screenings and education, could help people across countries and cultures make better decisions about their long-term health.

In resource-limited settings where percentage-based risk assessments may not be widely understood, expressing risk through the lens of “heart age” could be a game-changer in preventive medicine.

Your heart might be working harder and aging faster than you realize but the power to slow—or even reverse—that process is in your hands. This new heart age calculator doesn’t just offer a number.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition marked by the development of small cysts on the ovaries. This can interfere with ovulation, disrupt menstrual cycles, and impact fertility. Interestingly, many individuals with PCOS also experience insulin resistance, a condition where the body produces insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar but cannot use it effectively.

This raises concerns about a potential connection between PCOS and diabetes. We got in touch with Dr Tripti Sharan, Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, explaining how PCOS may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

How PCOS Can Increase Diabetes Risk

“Insulin resistance is often driven by genetics, obesity, and lifestyle factors,” Dr Tripti notes. “To maintain normal blood sugar, the body produces more insulin. Excess insulin then affects the ovaries, causing them to release higher levels of male hormones. This can lead to irregular periods, acne, abnormal hair growth, and sometimes infertility.”

If these factors are left unaddressed, insulin resistance can worsen. Over time, the body struggles to regulate blood sugar effectively, potentially leading to diabetes.

Risk Factors for Diabetes in Women with PCOSPCOS is often seen as a pre-diabetic condition. Without proper management, it can progress to diabetes. Dr Tripti highlights the importance of lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, managing stress, and adopting a structured daily routine.

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PCOS is also linked to other health concerns, including high triglycerides, fatty liver, endometrial hyperplasia, and high blood pressure. Factors such as obesity, inactivity, chronic stress, high cholesterol, pregnancy, aging, smoking, vitamin D deficiency, and misuse of steroids can further increase diabetes risk in women with PCOS.

Symptoms Indicating Higher Diabetes Risk

Preventive Measures and Lifestyle Tips

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Engage in daily physical activity, regardless of body size
• Manage stress effectively
• Prioritize sufficient sleep
• Address hormonal imbalances under medical supervision
• Treat thyroid disorders
• Monitor and control lipid levels to prevent cardiovascular issues
• Ensure pregnancies are planned and screened for diabetes

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She also advises focusing on a balanced diet rich in fiber, fruits, and vegetables, especially those with skins, which have a lower glycemic load. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake are important, and regular exercise, including cardio, strength training, stretching, and relaxation practices like yoga and meditation can help manage both PCOS and diabetes risk. Additionally, avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol supports overall health.

In today’s hyper-connected, always-on work culture, long hours and erratic shifts are quietly eating into one of the most essential pillars of health.. A new study by Truworth Wellness, India Workplace Wellbeing Report 2025: From Access to Outcomes, reveals how sleep deprivation, chronic diseases, and poor preventive care are undermining employees during their prime working years.

Sleep Deprivation: A Silent Productivity KillerThe report, based on health data from over 46,000 employees across industries, found that nearly 1 in 10 workers suffer from sleep disorders, most of them between ages 23 and 39. This lack of rest translates to 11.3 lost workdays per employee every year, costing companies an estimated ₹2.1 lakh annually, as per the study.

Chronic Conditions Striking Earlier

Obesity and the Prevention Gap

Poor Sleep Is Leading To Poor Mental Health

ALSO READ: High, Low, or Normal? A Simple Guide To Understanding Blood Pressure Readings

How Companies Can RespondTo tackle the crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends:

• Training managers to recognize and respond to emotional distress.
• Mental health literacy programs to reduce stigma and raise awareness.
• Stress management and lifestyle interventions such as physical activity and psychosocial support.

The Business Case for Better Sleep

A Wake-Up Call for Corporate Industries

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By moving beyond generic wellness programs and focusing on measurable outcomes, Indian organizations can turn employee health into a strategic advantage. Embedding sleep, stress management, and preventive care into workplace wellness not only improves productivity but also builds a resilient workforce. The Truworth Wellness India Workplace Wellbeing Report 2025, conducted in collaboration with People Matters, highlights these insights and provides a roadmap for companies to act before small health risks escalate into costly chronic conditions.

Half of all American adults have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, yet many don’t even know it. High blood pressure occurs when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. Recently, cases of high blood pressure have been rising rapidly in the U.S. and globally. As these numbers climb, regularly checking your blood pressure becomes essential.

According to the 2025 American Heart Association Statistical Update, nearly half of U.S. adults, around 122 million people, have high blood pressure, a leading preventable cause of heart disease, stroke, and early death. Shockingly, only about one in four have their condition under control. To help you stay on top of your numbers, here’s a detailed guide to understanding blood pressure.

Blood Pressure Readings ExplainedBlood pressure is written as two numbers separated by a slash, such as 120/80 mm Hg, which can be read as “120 over 80 millimeters of mercury.”

The first number, or systolic pressure, measures the force of blood against artery walls when the heart pumps.

The second number, or diastolic pressure, measures the pressure when the heart rests between beats.

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Blood pressure naturally changes throughout the day depending on activity, stress, and other factors. A healthy reading is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Blood pressure is considered high when systolic readings are 130 mm Hg or higher or diastolic readings are 80 mm Hg or higher.

New Blood Pressure Guidelines by the American Heart Association

• Earlier Treatment: People with a 10-year cardiovascular risk of 10% or more are advised to start medication along with lifestyle changes.
• Personalized Risk Assessment: Doctors may use the PREVENT™️ calculator to estimate 10-year risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
• Expanded Lab Testing: Tests such as the urine albumin:creatinine ratio help tailor treatment plans.
• Lifestyle First: Limit sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day, maintain a healthy weight, and stay physically active.
• Alcohol Limits: Men: 2 drinks/day; women: 1 drink/day.

Blood Pressure Monitoring

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Home monitoring is particularly important for:

• Anyone already diagnosed with high blood pressure.
• People starting or adjusting high blood pressure treatments, to see if they are working.
• Individuals who require closer monitoring, especially those with risk factors for high blood pressure or related health conditions.