The term "hard-hearted" first appeared with Chaucer in the 13th century. Then, as now, having a hard heart indicated a lack of pity or mercy. But it seems this emotional toughness reflected a physical state of being, an actual hard heart.
The thing is, our medieval ancestors weren't entirely wrong. A heart can actually calcify. And more commonly, your arteries can harden from the buildup of plaque. This hardening in the arterial walls, or atherosclerosis, may not make you mean. But it can lead to heart disease, stroke, heart attacks, and peripheral artery disease.
Avoid a Hard Heart
Many people who have clogged arteries don't know it. In fact, about half of all men in their 50s have some buildup in their arteries.
So what can you do? You can prevent plaque buildup. Pay attention to your healthcare on an ongoing basis.
In honor of Heart Month 2025, make sure you're taking care of your heart. No matter your age or gender, you'll find things you can do in this overview of heart-healthy steps.
How to Prevent Heart Disease
See our whole library of heart health articles.
Bonus: What Does it Mean to Have a Heavy Heart?
Is it possible that a 'heavy heart' is more than an idiom, too? Most of us have experienced the kind of sadness and grief that cause a feeling, both emotional and physical, of being weighed down, like you're moving through sludge.
Your actual heart can grow thick and slow, too. The cause can even originate with emotions. A heavy heart can happen from:
- Stress that weighs you down can indeed contribute to heart disease
- Cardiomyopathy and heart failure, as both stem from an enlarged, sluggish heart
A Final Note: Idioms
We use phrases, metaphors, and analogies, to make our feelings understandable. We talk about broken hearts, light hearts, cold hearts and warm ones. As science discovers more about the brain-body connections, we start to notice that this desire in our language to make the abstract concrete is more than whimsical. It's a reflection of how interconnected dis-ease of mind and body can be.
This doesn't mean, however, that you can cure disease through emotion, or address emotional difficulty through medicines or surgery. Yes, a positive attitude can help illness. And yes, exercise and diet impacts mood. Still, we must remember that these areas of the self do require distinct attention.
So, if you have a hard or heavy heart that is purely emotional, don't see a cardiologist. And if you have heart disease, please make an appointment with a doctor for care.
