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You can be super healthy in other areas of your life, but if you're not getting enough sleep at night, the National Sleep Foundation says you're still putting yourself at a higher risk of heart disease—possibly due to impacting your blood pressure and inflammation in the body.

Instead of doing crazy diets, stick to something you can maintain for years to come—especially since, according to past research, constantly losing and gaining weight post-menopause could increase your risk of both sudden cardiac arrest and coronary heart disease. The instance was actually found to be strongest in women of a normal BMI

If you're thinking about becoming pregnant, it's a good idea to be aware of its effects on your heart. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, having high blood pressure during those nine months can put a lot of stress on the organ, which can in turn increase your risk of heart disease.

As if battling depression isn't already hard enough, Johns Hopkins Medicine says those with the disorder develop heart disease more quickly than the rest of the population. Since depression is more common in women than men, it's important to focus on your mental health now: for your overall happiness and well-being, but also for your body.

Not many people realize it, but women's hearts are actually smaller than men's—two-thirds the size, in fact. Because of that, your heart rate is faster and you have smaller arteries, which can make it easier for them to be blocked up by plaque and cause health issues.

While obesity is a risk factor for heart disease, it's still completely possible to develop when you're thin. Past research has found it can happen to adults in the recommended weight range as well—especially if they have elevated blood pressure and cholesterol.

When you go through menopause, you're dealing with fatigue, hot flashes, insomnia—all sorts of not-so-fun symptoms. But those lower levels of estrogen that occur afterward can affect your heart, too: According to the Mayo Clinic, it's a significant risk factor for heart disease.

Most people have experienced a broken heart at some point during their lifetime, but it's actually a legit medical condition—and a serious one at that. According to the Mayo Clinic, broken heart syndrome involves experiencing a severe form of heart muscle failure that's usually temporary after going through a stressful situation. So if you're dealing with something, take care of yourself: Your heart needs it.

While a few glasses of wine while watching your favorite TV show at night doesn't seem like a big deal, it is one for your heart. According to the CDC, women shouldn't have more than one drink per day—otherwise, without moderation, it could result in long-term problems down the line, including heart disease.

To keep your heart in peak condition, it's important to make sure you're staying active. According to the CDC, that means trying to hit 2 hours and 30 minutes of exercise every week—even if that just means a quickie workout after you get home at night. (That factors out to only about 21 minutes a day, by the way. Anyone can do it!)

In movies and on TV, heart attacks are very theatrical: someone usually grabs their chest and falls over. In reality, things are a lot different for women. Typically, a heart attack simply involves experiencing chest pain or discomfort, upper back pain, heartburn, nausea, and extreme fatigue, says the CDC. A lot of the time, you might not even know you're having one. That's why it's better to be safe than sorry if you're feeling any signs.

Unfortunately, women's hearts are much more affected by stress than men's are, says the Mayo Clinic. Since it can increase your risk of developing heart disease, focus on adding time into your schedule now to relieve some of that tension, whether it's doing a daily workout, meditating, or working out problems with a therapist

If you're not taking care of your body, it gets harder to avoid issues with your heart. You can easily increase your risk of heart disease, for instance, if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol—two problems that can become life-threatening if you don't focus on getting them under control now.

You know that eating a wholesome, veggie-loaded diet affects your overall health, and that's especially true when it comes to your heart. While French fries and mac and cheese are surely delicious, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends sticking to foods that are low-salt or low-sodium, limiting trans fats (which, in excess, can cause heart attacks), and limiting added sugar.

There's plenty of reasons why to keep your heart healthy, but this may be the biggest: If you don't, it could kill you. Even though heart disease is more often associated with men, it's the leading cause of death for U.S. women, causing 1 in 4 female deaths per year, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).