Ben Williams
A cardiologist has revealed there are six things he says he would never do after 6pm if he wants to protect his heart, warning that some of the habits people fall back on in the evening could be doing more harm than they realise.
While heart health advice usually focuses on the bigger-picture stuff like diet, smoking, and exercise, Dr Francesco Lo Monaco says the hours before bed matter too. According to the heart specialist, what your body is exposed to later in the day can affect rest, recovery, and how hard your system has to work overnight.
Because most of these routines feel pretty harmless, they are easy to ignore. However, his list includes several common habits that plenty of people probably do without thinking twice.
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One of them is using strong antibacterial mouthwash in the evening. According to The Mirror, Dr Lo Monaco said: “The bacteria in your mouth helps convert compounds from food into nitric oxide, which keeps your blood vessels flexible and able to relax when needed.
“However, some powerful mouthwashes can wipe out this bacteria, which can raise blood pressure, which is not what you want when your body should be resting and recovering from the day.”
He also warned against too much blue light later on, especially from phones and screens, before bed, adding: “Bright blue-rich light in the evening, especially through the eyes, can suppress melatonin, which isn’t just for sleep, it’s actually one of the most protective antioxidants for your blood vessels”.
“So less melatonin means more oxidative stress in your arteries over time.”
Another thing on his list is intense static exercise at night, including planks, wall sits, and dead hangs, saying: “If you’ve already had a stressful day, your nervous system is in overdrive, and heavy late-night strain keeps it there…Train hardest early in the day and keep any late-evening exercise sessions lighter to help your heart.”
Dr Lo Monaco also advised people to be careful with calming supplements before bed, including things such as green tea and L-theanine, saying they can influence stress response, sleep, and heart rhythm depending on the dose, timing, and context.
Breathwork made the list, too, specifically when it involves holding your breath for long periods, with Lo Monaco explaining: “I value breathwork, but long or repeated breath-holding can drop oxygen levels and put extra load on the heart in some people.”
Finally, he said eating too close to bedtime is another habit worth avoiding. He explained: “If you eat too close to when you sleep, your body is being forced to increase sympathetic activity when it should be resting.”
“By simply fasting three hours before bed you will reduce endothelial stress and improve vascular flexibility, meaning less oxygen demand on your heart and more efficient overnight recovery during sleep.”