Heart attacks in 30s and 40s: Is work from home to blame?

Heart attacks are no longer striking solely the elderly. Increasingly, young Indians—some even in their 20s and 30s—are falling victim to cardiac arrests. Experts are sounding the alarm that lifestyle changes linked to work from home (WFH) culture could be a contributing factor.

According to the Indian Heart Association, over 50 per cent of heart attack deaths in India now occur in people aged under 50. What is even more concerning, nearly half of heart attack patients since 2020 have been below 40. That’s a frightening shift in health trends for the country’s youth.

Although no official study has directly linked WFH with cardiac arrest cases, several concerning patterns—sedentary lifestyle, irregular meals, poor sleep—point to habits that demand urgent attention.

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Risks of sedentary life

A 2023 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that sitting for over 8 hours a day raises heart attack risk by more than 30 per cent. Combined with post-pandemic WFH routines, this creates a dangerous scenario for young professionals.

“So if you look at IT professionals and large corporate companies, you see most of the younger patients—even in their 20s—most of them have problems like low backache,” noted one medical expert. Orthopaedic issues, they said, are starting young, and the same sedentary habits raise heart risks too.

It’s no surprise that the phrase “sitting is the new smoking” has become common. Long hours in one spot, mindless snacking, and minimal movement all add up to harm health over time.

Work-from-home habits

Young professionals working from home often sit for prolonged periods, skip meals or eat irregularly, and face extended screen time. “Irregular meals… only add to this complexity,” warned experts.

Poor sleep cycles and chronic stress further exacerbate the risks. The World Health Organization estimates that physical inactivity alone causes one in four deaths globally—a sobering statistic that WFH culture may be amplifying.

But the issue isn’t WFH itself—it’s how people manage their work-life balance while working remotely.

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Striking a balance

So what’s the solution? Experts suggest small, practical steps. “The simplest thing… is that the whole family be part of it. So everybody eat the same kind of food,” they advise.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym. “If you play a game of cricket or you play a game of basketball, that is cardio… sort of like a little bit of a whole body workout as well.” Family involvement in healthy eating and activities can make it easier to sustain good habits.

Key tips include: take five-minute walks every hour, stay hydrated, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, get regular heart check-ups, and spend time outdoors in sunlight. “But most importantly, listen to your body. Don’t wait for a warning sign that may never come. Prevention is your best investment, especially for the sake of your heart.”

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