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holiday stress

Your Heart Attack Risk is 37% Higher on Christmas Eve

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heart attack risk

There is no doubt the holidays can be a stressful time of year. Many people are spending more than usual, spending more time in social settings, and letting their self-care go by the wayside. However, you may want to pay attention to your heart this season. Heart attack risk increases at times of emotional stress. In most cases, this includes things like hurricanes, sporting events, or even a stock market crash, and apparently Christmas Eve.

Why Does Heart Attack Risk Increase on Christmas Eve?

According to a recent analysis of when heart attacks occur, your heart attack risk is 37% higher on Christmas Eve. The risk peaks at 10 p.m. To determine this, researchers took a look at 283,014 heart attacks over a 16-year period.

For the purposes of the study, researchers tracked any heart attacks that occurred during the holiday season, major sporting events, and at random. What researchers found was that heart attack risk increased for some holidays. The risk is 12% higher during the summer holidays and 15% higher on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve has the highest increase in risk (37%), while New Year’s Eve did not seem to be associated with an increased risk at all.

Other notable days, according to researchers, were Mondays. There is a significant increase in the risk of having a heart attack on dreaded Monday. They also found that heart attacks happen more frequently early in the morning than any other time of day as well.

Heart attacks occur when blood flow to the heart is blocked. This prevents the heart from getting much-needed oxygen. If the blood flow isn’t restored in a timely manner, the heart muscle begins to die. About 1 million people have a heart attack each year in the United States. Symptoms of a heart attack include:

  • Tightness or pain in the chest, neck, back, or arms
  • Fatigue
  • Lightheadedness
  • Abnormal heartbeat
  • Anxiety
  • Chest pressure
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Shoulder discomfort

If you are having symptoms of a heart attack or are in the company of someone who is displaying symptoms, call 911 or seek medical attention immediately.

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Coping Techniques That Are Actually Adding To Your Holiday Stress

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holiday stress

The average adult in the United States is expected to spend $885 on Christmas this year. Many people begin to feel the financial impact and stress of the holiday season right around this time of year. However, many folks are trying to cope with holiday stress in ways that actually make it worse.

Unhealthy Coping Techniques

Being stressed out during the holidays is inevitable for some. Between finding the perfect gift, sticking to a budget, and trying to remain in the holiday spirit, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Because of this, many people head straight towards coping techniques to manage the stress of the season. However, some of the most popular coping techniques are actually adding to your holiday stress.

  1. Having a drink before bed. Plenty of people have a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage before bed. Although this can help you wind down, it will also disrupt REM sleep. To get the best night’s sleep possible, skip the booze.
  2. Binging on carbs. The holidays are typically full of good, carby foods. Loading up on these foods will cause energy crashes and add to your holiday stress more than you know.
  3. Don’t skip the gym! Many people find the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season a good reason to skip their regular workout routine. Working out will help naturally boost your energy levels and it is a great way to beat stress. Skipping it will actually make you feel less energized.
  4. Stopping for an extra coffee. Too much caffeine will always leave you feeling drained and, when accompanied by stress, it can make you feel really sick.
  5. Making everyone else a priority. Although the holiday season is usually about finding gifts for others and lending a helping hand, you can’t make everyone else top priority all the time. It is important to continue practicing self-care and considering your needs.
  6. Don’t overschedule yourself. FOMO (fear of missing out) often leads people to overscheduling themselves during the holiday season. However, scheduling yourself for too many events will only add to your stress.
  7. Stop trying to catch up on your sleep on the weekends. You need to get regular sleep every night. Don’t try to run all of your errands and catch up on sleep on the weekends. This irregular sleep pattern will make you feel lethargic.
  8. Trim your social media use down. It is easy to fall into a comparison trap when you are scrolling through social media, especially during the holiday season. Instead, unplug for a little while and spend quality time with the people that mean most to you.

Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

Instead of hitting up these harmful coping techniques, consider doing one of the following to battle your holiday stress.

  1. Spend some time outside. It is easy to spend every day inside during the holiday season, especially if you live in a colder area. Bundling up and going out for a walk can be great for your mental health. Be sure that if you’re not able to soak up some sunshine you should take a Vitamin D supplement.
  2. Add some citrus into your life. Citrus smells can help combat stress, anxiety, and depression. Put an orange or lemon essential oil into a diffuser in your home and you’ll start noticing a difference in your overall mood.
  3. Stick to a routine. Don’t let the holidays throw off your regular routine. Stick to some parts of your day, like waking up at the same time, hitting the gym, and what time you eat. Having this basic routine will help you find some normality during the busy time of year.
  4. Get regular exercise. If it’s too cold to get outside for a walk, schedule some time to go to a workout class with friends or hit the gym. Working out is one of the best natural ways to beat stress.
  5. Take some time for yourself. The holiday season is typically about other people so it is easy to let your personal needs go under the radar. The best gift you can give yourself this year is maintaining your self-care throughout the holidays.

Lastly, remember that the holiday season is about spending time with one another. The best present you can give someone is your presence. Don’t let your finances stop you from having a happy holiday season.

Readers, how do you cope with holiday stress?

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