7 Ways to Slash Your Stroke Risk

When you think about your stroke risk, you may be paying attention to factors like your blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels, part of the American Heart Association's Life’s Essential 8, which also includes getting good sleep and avoiding nicotine. While it’s imperative to stay on top of those, there are a few other things you can do that may help you prevent a cardiovascular event.

1. Pick up your walking pace. People who walk slowly have a 64 percent increased risk of stroke compared with those who move briskly, according to a study published this year in Stroke. But quickening your pace — adding about 20 steps per minute — can make a difference. In a study published this year in Circulation, regularly walking over 3 miles per hour (mph) was linked to a 53 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with walking under 2 mph.
2. Improve your grip strength. People with a weaker grip may be more likely to have a stroke, according to a 2026 report in the journal Stroke. If you struggle with tasks like opening jars, a physical or occupational therapist can measure your grip and offer exercises, such as squeezing tennis balls or putty, to boost hand strength.
3. Trim your middle. If your waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio are elevated, your stroke risk may be too. But you can slim your waist with regular aerobic sessions. In a meta-analysis in BMJ Open, water aerobics two to three times per week for more than 10 weeks reduced waist circumference by more than 1 inch, on average.
4. Floss your teeth. Gum disease is strongly linked to elevated stroke risk. Symptoms can include gum bleeding, bad breath, and soreness or swelling. The simple daily act of flossing doesn’t just protect your teeth and gums. According to a recent study in Stroke, flossing was associated with a 23 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke, a 40 percent lower risk of blood clots traveling from the heart to the brain and a 12 percent lower risk of atrial fibrillation.
5. Do you snore? Get checked for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can lower oxygen levels and raise blood pressure, each of which leads to a higher risk of stroke. If testing says you have it, treat the condition. Exercise, weight loss and drinking less alcohol can also help.
6. Treat migraines. A study published this year in Neurology Open Access finds that people 45 and older who had migraines that included visual or sensory changes as the migraine started had a 73 percent increased risk of stroke over those with no migraine history. Migraines with no aura didn’t seem to boost risk.
7. Ask your doc about A-fib. Shortness of breath, a pounding heart and chest pain are all symptoms of atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, a leading cause of stroke. Untreated, A-fib makes you five times more likely to have a stroke than people who don’t have the condition, says the American Heart Association. Proper treatment can control your heartbeat and prevent clots.