![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://bollspel.com/stay-safe-this-winter-spike-in-cardiac-deaths/&media=https://bollspel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/13351-stay-safe-this-winter-spike-in-cardiac-deaths.jpg&description="Learn how to stay safe and protect your heart this winter, as cardiac deaths spike during the colder months. Discover important tips and advice for keeping your heart healthy in the winter season."){kind=link}
4 minute read
Jan. 2, 2024 – The holidays are a time of togetherness and cheer, celebration and joy. But they’re also a time of excess. Too much rich food, alcohol, stress, and other unhealthy habits can harm your heart and blood vessels. As a result, the number of heart attacks and strokes during the winter rises dramatically, and with fewer people seeking the medical care they need, cardiac deaths also spike.
Research shows that cardiac deaths increase by nearly 5% from Dec. 25 until Jan. 7.
For those who already have a higher risk of a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke, stress brought on by the holidays can push matters to a breaking point, said Laxmi Mehta, MD, a cardiologist at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. Some of it is good stress, like the excitement of seeing family and friends. Other things, like financial strain, traveling, and a busy to-do list, are bad stressors – but they all affect heart health. Even minor stress can have an impact because it increases inflammation in the body, which is linked to higher blood pressure and lower good HDL cholesterol.
“We’re less vigilant during the holidays when it comes to protecting the heart, indulging in more unhealthy foods and drinking too much alcohol,” Mehta said.
Consuming too much alcohol is especially dangerous because it can cause what’s called “holiday heart syndrome,” the term that’s been used to describe cardiac arrhythmias, or an irregular heartbeat that can result from binge drinking. Alcohol in combination with foods that contain too much sodium and sugar stress the heart and, in some cases, can lead to a stroke. When we’re drinking too much, we’re also more likely to smoke, which decreases blood flow to the heart and increases the risk of a cardiac event.
“We’re all human and we’re not perfect, but moderation around food, and especially alcohol, can go a long way in reducing your risk,” Mehta said.
Staying up late into the night also means not getting enough sleep. Unfamiliar sleeping arrangements when visiting family can lead to a lack of shut-eye, which can be deadly for heart patients, said Johanna Contreras, MD, a cardiologist with Mount Sinai Hospital System. People who get fewer than 6 hours of sleep may have steep increases in blood pressure, and for patients with hypertension, this can be a game changer. Plan ahead so that drinking, late nights, and travel don’t hinder your sleep.
Choose healthier foods that include ample fresh fruits and vegetables, rather than canned, which contain too much sodium. Use an air fryer instead of indulging in fried foods, which also contain too much sodium and saturated fats. Diabetes patients should plan ahead and know what they’re planning on eating ahead of time.