Heart surgeon ranks 5 everyday habits destroying your heart: No, it’s not just drinking or smoking

We’ve all heard it before, vaping isn’t harmless, stress can kill, and poor sleep takes a toll. But when a seasoned heart surgeon ranks them based on what he actually sees inside the operating theatre, the message hits much harder. As per a TOI report, cardiovascular surgeon Dr Jeremy London recently revealed how he would rate five common lifestyle habits, from vaping to sleepless nights, based on their real damage to the heart and overall health. His insights are eye-opening, practical, and a powerful reminder that change begins with awareness.

Think vaping is a “healthier” alternative to smoking? Think again. Dr London rates vaping a full 10 out of 10 for harm, calling it one of the most deceptive health fads of modern times.
While vape pens might smell fruity and feel cleaner than cigarettes, the chemicals they deliver are far from safe. These vapours damage blood vessels, accelerate heart tissue injury, and trigger inflammation. According to Dr London, many young patients who’ve never touched a cigarette show early signs of cardiovascular stress because of daily vaping.
He warns that the illusion of safety makes vaping even more dangerous, people justify a new form of addiction under the label of modern convenience.

“Sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s medicine,” says Dr London, and that statement alone explains his 10 out of 10 score for the dangers of sleep deprivation.
Poor sleep disrupts everything, from hormone regulation and blood pressure control to mental focus and mood stability. When your body doesn’t rest, it can’t repair. The heart ends up working harder, inflammation spikes, and long-term risks like hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure creep in quietly.
Dr London admits even he has struggled with erratic sleep schedules and felt the effects within days. He says people underestimate how deeply sleep affects longevity and heart health, until it catches up with them.

Despite its cultural acceptance, alcohol also scores a 10 out of 10 on Dr London’s danger scale. He calls it a “cellular saboteur”, something that harms the body from within.
Alcohol affects nearly every system: it raises blood pressure, interferes with deep sleep, damages brain and heart cells, and contributes to long-term addiction. What’s more, newer research suggests that even moderate drinking can increase the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease.
Dr London stresses that alcohol’s effects are cumulative. Each drink leaves microscopic traces of damage that build up over years, eventually leading to irreversible harm.

Stress is often dismissed as just part of modern life, but according to Dr London, chronic stress deserves an 8 out of 10 for its slow yet deadly impact.
Short bursts of stress can be motivating, but when it becomes constant, it quietly reshapes the body’s internal chemistry. It disrupts sleep, alters appetite, increases inflammation, and weakens immunity, all of which put extra strain on the heart.
He calls it an “invisible injury”, one you can’t see but one that eats away at health day by day. Managing stress, therefore, isn’t indulgent, it’s essential for survival.

While not as severe as the others, soda still earns a 4 out of 10. Dr London personally avoids it, citing not just the sugar overload but also its addictive pull.
Regular consumption of sugary drinks spikes blood sugar, promotes insulin resistance, and increases the risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Even diet sodas, often seen as harmless, can cause cravings and trigger unhealthy eating patterns.
In Dr London’s view, soda may not kill you outright, but it plays a quiet, dangerous role in long-term nutritional damage.