The Ageing Heart
First Published:
5 Feb 2026
Updated:
5 Feb 2026
By the time you reach 70, your heart has beaten approximately 2.5 billion times. It is the most resilient muscle in the human body, a tireless engine that works while you sleep, dream and live.
But just as our skin develops wrinkles and our hair turns grey, our heart and blood vessels undergo natural changes as we age. I often find seniors caught between two extremes that are ignoring symptoms as "just old age" or panicking at every small change in heartbeat.
Understanding the difference between normal ageing and heart disease is the first step to staying active and confident.
What is happening in the heart biologically?
The most significant change in the ageing cardiovascular system is stiffness.
Arteries: Large arteries (like the aorta and carotid arteries) naturally lose some elasticity and become stiffer because of arteriosclerosis.
Impact: This forces the heart to pump harder to push blood through, which is why systolic blood pressure (the top number) often rises with age, even if you are healthy.
The heart muscle: To cope with this extra work, the heart wall may thicken slightly. While this helps initially, it can make the heart less efficient at filling with blood.
The shift in electrical activity of the heart
Your heart has a natural pacemaker (the SA node). As we age, some of the pacemaker cells may die or function slower.
Result: Your maximum heart rate during exercise decreases. You might find you cannot run like you used to, which is normal.
The risk: The electrical pathways can become "scratchy" leading to irregular heartbeats like atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a common condition in seniors that increases risk of stroke.
A cardio-protective protocol
You cannot stop the clock, but you can definitely slow down ageing. Here is my advice for keeping an ageing heart robust:
1. Movement is medicine for arteries
Stiff arteries need movement to stay pliable.
The goal: You don't need to run. A brisk 30-minute walk that makes you slightly breathless(key) helps release Nitric Oxide, a natural chemical that relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Consistency: Daily moderate activity is far better for the ageing heart than weekend warrior intensity.
2. Reduce salt intake
As we age, our bodies become more sensitive to salt (sodium). Excess salt holds onto water, increasing blood volume and raising pressure.
Action: Retrain your palate. Use lemon, garlic, ginger, and herbs. Reducing salt intake is often as effective as taking a low-dose blood pressure medication.
3. Monitor your vitals (regularly, at home)
"White Coat Hypertension" (high BP only at the doctor's office) is real.
Advice: Buy a digital BP monitor. Check your BP at home when you are relaxed. If your top number (systolic) is consistently over 130-140, bring your log to your doctor.
Pulse Check: Occasionally feel your pulse. If it feels "irregularly irregular" (like a chaotic drumbeat), seeing a doctor is non-negotiable to rule out atrial fibrillation.
Red flags: Do not ignore these signs
Heart symptoms in seniors can be subtle. It isn't always the "Bollywood Heart Attack" with clutching the chest. Watch out for:
Breathlessness: Especially if it happens when you are lying flat in bed or with minimal exertion.
Edema: Persistent swelling in the feet or ankles that doesn't go away after elevating legs.
Fatigue: Extreme tiredness after a simple activity like bathing or dressing.
Jaw or neck pain: Sometimes, heart pain radiates upwards rather than down the arm.
The takeaway
Your heart has carried you this far, and with a little care, it will keep going strong. Treat it with respect: move daily, eat lightly, and monitor your numbers.
Stay Active, Stay Heart-Healthy.
