Holiday Heart – And How To Avoid It

This was written by Dr. Philip Ovadia. A link to contact him is provided below

Some doctors dub it “holiday heart.” Others refer to it as HHS. But no matter what you call it, the data is clear: more people die of heart attacks during the holidays than any other season.

Research in Sweden found a 15% increase in heart attacks for the winter holidays, with a spike of 37% on Christmas Eve. It’s especially high risk for people over 75, those with diabetes, or anyone who’s suffered from cardiovascular disease.

Please know that I’m not saying this to scare you. I just want you to enjoy the holidays without sabotaging your metabolic health.

Knowing your risks is half the battle.

So here’s what you should know, plus how to keep your heart in check.

Reducing your heart health risks during the holiday season

Does the holiday season inherently raise your risks for heart disease? No. But does it become more difficult to manage risk and avoid metabolically unhealthy practices? Most definitely.

Fortunately, there’s quite a bit you can still control.

Let’s take a look at some of the risk factors below.

Cut sugar

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realize sugar intake climbs during the holidays. Between the cakes, cookies, and pies, it’s hard to say no to the comforts of the season. It may be harder on those with existing metabolic conditions. One study following diabetics in the post-holiday season found that glycemia and lipids do increase after the festivities are over.

But as we know, sugar consumption does no favors for the heart. High consumption is directly linked with heart failure, diabetes, stroke risk, and even neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.

I’m not saying you should cut all sugar during the holidays — just make better choices to protect your metabolic health. This might be swapping to whole, real alternatives such as honey instead of corn syrup. There are some sugar alternatives, but be advised fake sugars come with potential health risks.

I realize it can be hard to avoid sweets at gatherings with family and friends, especially if they’re not necessarily supportive of your efforts.

But I highly recommend doing your best and cutting sugar to whatever extent that means for you.

Monitor processed foods

The holidays (quite literally) bring all sorts of processed foods to the table. Prepackaged sweets, sausages, pies, and baking mixes promise to add “the flavor of the season” to your dining room table. And considering 73% of the US food supply is made up of processed foods, there’s a good chance UPFs will be present during at least one of your holiday events.

It is still possible to enjoy holiday classics with whole, real food once you master simple cooking skills.

Manage stress

I don’t need to remind you just how stressful the holidays can be. Two in five people say their stress increases during the holidays, with fears about money, travel, and busy schedules topping the list.

I realize there’s no way to eliminate stress during the holidays completely, but chronic levels can increase many heart health risk factors. They may also encourage poor habits, such as smoking, binge drinking, or poor sleep.

I highly encourage you to find time for yourself, set up relaxing routines, and seek support when needed. You can also get more specific advice around this in my guide covering how stress increases your risk for heart disease.

Keep yourself warm

Cold weather forces blood vessels to constrict, which can increase your blood pressure and put more strain on your heart. For those with a history of chest pain, this can lead to (or worsen) angina. In extreme circumstances, it could limit blood flow to the heart.

Keep in mind that cold weather may also affect the viscosity of your blood. It may be thicker and stickier, which makes it more likely to form clots. This ultimately raises your risk of heart attacks and strokes if you’re already at risk or have a history of heart problems.

Be conscious of your drinking

I’m not a fan of alcohol at the best of times — even one glass a day contributes to poor metabolic health. Apart from increased blood pressure, drinking can also spike your blood sugar and increase your risk of heart disease. Yes, this applies to holiday favorites like hard ciders and eggnog.

Drinking too much alcohol can also lead to arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat, that lasts for many hours. That’s actually where the term “holiday heart syndrome” came from in 1978.

So I recommend limiting alcohol significantly and looking for alternative celebratory drinks. But if you’re struggling to pull back, start with baby steps first. Maybe this means one fewer glass before going to bed, or experimenting with non-alcoholic versions of your favorite drinks.

Make activity a priority

Between the weather, holiday movies, and potential long-distance travel, people are typically far less active during the winter months. This can certainly raise your long-term heart health risks. But there are also some short-term risks to consider: namely, deep-vein thrombosis.

Thrombosis occurs when blood clots form in a vein or artery, usually within the leg. There are a multitude of factors that contribute to clot formation in the case, but one of the most common is immobility — being unable to move around for long periods of time.

You may be immobile while working a desk job, sitting in a car or plane, or sitting down on the couch to watch the Hallmark channel. These things aren’t inherently ‘bad’ per se, but in an already inactive season fraught with cold weather, your risk factors will be higher.

Do your best to continue some semblance of an exercise routine, perhaps extra movement sprinkled in (like an after-dinner walk, for example). I understand it might feel awkward or embarrassing to continue a routine around friends or family, so you may want to check out these four ways to strengthen your heart when you don’t have time to exercise.

A final note

This isn’t, I’m sure, the most exciting thing to read before the holidays. And yet, as a heart surgeon, I care too much not to say something.

Please understand I’m not asking you to moderate your fun, or give up things you enjoy during this special time of year. The purpose of my content is to give you information, so you can come to your own conclusions and make decisions to improve your quality of life.

If you’re interested in learning more about the intricacies of your heart health, I highly recommend the following resources:

And if you want to remove the confusion about your own individual heart health, book a free call with my team today.

Holiday Heart – And How To Avoid It