Lifestyle habits like exercising, eating a balanced diet, managing blood pressure, and limiting alcohol consumption play a key role in your self-care for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a hereditary chronic condition that causes the heart muscle to thicken, making it harder to pump blood.

There are two types of HCM:

  • Obstructive HCM: This usually occurs when the septum in the heart muscle, which is between the left and right ventricles, thickens and obstructs blood flow from the aorta to the rest of the body.
  • Nonobstructive HCM: The heart muscle also becomes thicker, but it doesn’t obstruct blood flow.

There’s no cure for HCM, but medical treatments like medications and heart procedures can help alleviate symptoms and improve overall heart function.

In addition, adopting certain lifestyle and dietary habits as part of your self-care routine is crucial to managing HCM.

Keep reading to learn about lifestyle tips that may help you manage HCM, and how these may help protect your heart and reduce symptoms.

Exercise is essential for overall heart strength and function.

But HCM may increase the risk of developing arrhythmias or sudden cardiac arrest, so finding the right balance of physical activity is key. In most cases, this means avoiding high intensity and vigorous activities.

The American Heart Association (AHA)’s 2024 Guidelines on the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy note that most people with HCM could benefit from light to moderate intensity recreational activity.

This refers to activities that target up to 70% of your maximum heart rate or 6 METs, which means you’re exerting six times the energy that you would if you were sitting still.

Some light to moderate activities may include yoga, tai chi, walking, weightlifting, and golfing. Higher intensity exercises to consider limiting include running, swimming, or contact sports.

Despite these recommendations, around 45% of people with HCM don’t get enough physical activity due to the perception that all exercise could cause cardiac arrest.

In fact, a 2022 review also noted there may be evidence showing young adults with HCM may benefit from higher activity levels. But more studies are needed to support this theory.

Before starting an exercise program, it’s important to speak with your cardiologist about what types of exercises are best for you.

Chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and fatigue after exercise may be HCM warning signs of too much physical exertion. If you experience any of these, stop the activity and see a doctor for evaluation.

You may have heard of a “heart-healthy diet,” which is likely the type of plan a doctor will recommend when you have HCM.

The AHA recommends focusing on eating and limiting the following foods:

  • Eat: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, fish, beans, legumes, fat-free or low fat dairy products
  • Limit: sodium, sugar, saturated fats, trans fats

For more structure, consider following the Mediterranean diet or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Both focus on whole, heart-healthy foods while reducing foods containing fat, sugar, and salt.

It’s also important to stay well hydrated and to prevent dehydration, especially if you have obstructive HCM. This could mean:

  • drinking at least 2.7 liters (11.5 cups) of water if you’re a female or 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) if you’re a male
  • eating regular meals
  • limiting your exposure to very hot environments
  • limiting alcohol consumption

Dietary changes and regular exercise can also help you maintain a moderate weight. This is an essential consideration for HCM because being above a healthy-for-you weight could put extra stress on your heart.

A 2021 study of participants with obesity and symptomatic HCM found that combining low to moderate intensity exercises with the Mediterranean diet positively impacted overall heart function.

If you’re concerned about your body weight and its potential effects on your heart health, consider speaking with a doctor. They can help you identify what a moderate weight looks like for you and offer advice on weight management.

Regular stress management can help maintain your heart health, and it may be especially important for people living with HCM.

A small 2022 study in 793 people with HCM found that those with higher levels of anxiety and depression had a higher risk of heart attack or developing heart failure.

Taking the time to relax every day — even for a few minutes — could help reduce stress. Some ways to manage stress include:

  • practicing deep breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation
  • writing in a journal
  • going for a walk outside
  • speaking to a friend, family member, or therapist

If you still experience high levels of stress regularly, consider talking with a doctor or a licensed therapist.

If you smoke and have HCM, consider quitting or reducing smoking. Smoking can increase your risk of heart-related complications, including:

  • atherosclerosis
  • atrial fibrillation
  • coronary heart disease
  • stroke
  • cancer

Talk with a doctor about ways to quit smoking to benefit your heart health. Most people can reduce their risk of a heart attack after 1 year of quitting smoking.

Also, keep in mind that no amount of smoking — even an occasional cigarette — is safe for your heart.

Getting enough sleep is crucial for everyone, but prioritizing healthy sleep hygiene can also reduce the risk of heart complications in HCM.

According to the AHA, having a sleeping disorder like sleep apnea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome may impact your heart health. People with sleep apnea, in particular, have a less favorable outlook and a higher risk of developing complications if they have HCM, so it’s crucial to manage a sleeping condition.

Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per day. Short duration and poor quality sleep have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Some ways to help increase your sleep hygiene include:

  • going to bed and waking up at the same time each day
  • maintaining a quiet, cool, and dark bedroom
  • not looking at electronic screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime
  • limiting caffeine and big meals before bedtime

Research from 2017 suggests that alcohol may increase blood pressure and possibly worsen obstructed blood flow in HCM.

As such, it’s important to speak with a doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink alcohol.

If you drink alcohol, you can help protect your heart health by quitting or limiting your overall intake. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends no more than one standard drink a day for females and two for males.

Overall, the outlook for HCM is positive. Treatment and lifestyle changes can help people with HCM have an average life expectancy.

That said, research suggests that early mortality in people with HCM is usually associated with other conditions or HCM complications.

It’s important to carefully monitor your treatment plan and maintain an active, balanced lifestyle to minimize the risk of complications.

It’s also essential to treat and manage other possible health conditions, such as diabetes, sleeping disorders, and hypertension, so that they don’t worsen HCM. Talk with a doctor about possible routine blood tests and office visits.

Alcohol and foods high in sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats should be limited if you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It’s also important to avoid dehydration.

Weight management plays a key role in managing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. If you have obesity or overweight, a doctor will recommend losing weight to a healthy-for-you weight. Excess weight may add extra pressure on your heart.

It’s best to limit caffeine if you have obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy because it temporarily increases the heart rate and could be dehydrating, both of which can worsen HCM symptoms. Consider speaking with a doctor about what level of caffeine may be appropriate for you.

In general, low to moderate intensity recreational exercise is recommended for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This may include activities like walking, golfing, cycling, yoga, and tai chi.

Adopting certain lifestyle and dietary habits is a crucial part of your hypertrophic cardiomyopathy self-care plan.

This includes regular low to moderate intensity exercises, eating a balanced diet, and quitting smoking, if you smoke.

If you experience changes in symptoms, such as chest pain, fatigue, or swelling, it’s vital to report them to a doctor right away. These may be signs of HCM progressing and may require additional treatment.