‘Dr. Quinn’ Star Jane Seymour Reveals ‘Wake-Up Call’ About Her Health

Jane Seymour is spreading the news about heart health after a “wake-up call” about heart disease and strokes.

“My mother had heart disease. My father died of heart disease,” the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman star, 74, told PEOPLE in a Nov. 10 article of her decision to become an ambassador for the American Heart Association. “My sisters and I, we all need to watch our cholesterol and we take statins.”

Looking at statistics for heart disease, “more women die from it than men. It’s the number one cause of death for women, more than all the cancers put together,” Seymour emphasized. “One in 5 women in the U.S. will have a stroke in their lifetime … I think it’s a wake-up call.”

The actress pointed out that the body is “like a car,” and that it’s “my vehicle for as long as I’m able to live,” which is why she’s “absolutely maniacal” about minimizing stress and getting enough sleep.

“Stress is a big component [in health], so I do everything I can to not stress or to handle stress,” she told PEOPLE. “I sleep eight hours a night … when I’m filming and I’m starting at 4 in the morning, I will set the alarm during the day and I tell myself whether I actually sleep or not, I will lie down and attempt to sleep and meditate to sleep.”

The Captains and the Kings actress encouraged people to go to their doctor and get educated on their blood pressure, as well as if they have “clogged arteries” and “cholesterol issues.” She went on, “If there’s a medication that’s going to help you, make sure you stay on the medication.”

When it comes to her goal of spreading the word with the American Heart Association, Seymour said she hopes people “choose life” when it comes to their health.

“I hope they choose life in the fullest form — in health, in happiness, in being heart-healthy, in making good choices with their food, with their diet, or sleep patterns,” she said. “Listening to what the doctors advise and monitoring their heart health and realizing that life is really worth living.”