We all enjoy celebrations over Christmas and New Year, and rightly so, but often the over-indulgences, lack of exercise, and stress can make the festive period one of the highest risk times for heart attacks.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the reasons for this upshot in coronary problems and talk about why caring for your heart this Christmas could be life-saving.
What are the risk factors?
There are a few different factors that can contribute towards heart problems, including high cholesterol, smoking, weight, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, diabetes, age and family history.
For several reasons, caring for your heart at Christmas can be harder than the rest of the year.
Over-indulgence
When we think of Christmas, a table piled high with decadent food and drink is never far from our minds. But this over-indulgence in fatty food and alcohol is a major factor in the rise in coronary problems during the festive season, as too much saturated fat can cause cholesterol build-up in the arteries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems.
Stress
While the holiday season is fun, it can be stressful too. A hectic social calendar, busy Christmas shopping and financial worries are among the biggest stresses people face at Christmas. A study found that stress is associated with an increased risk of heart problems meaning being overly busy could make it harder to have a healthy heart Christmas.
Cold Weather
The frosty festive climate can also pose a risk to your heart’s health, as cold blood vessels constrict in low temperatures, which limits circulation but increases blood pressure, increasing strain on the heart.
Lack of Self Care
With the business of the Christmas period, self-neglect can become a much more serious issue, with people being less likely to take the time to focus on looking after their health. This might be putting off collecting a prescription or reducing their usual exercise regime to make time for festivities contributing to a significant negative impact on cardiovascular health.
Mental Health
Feelings of loneliness and isolation rise at Christmas, often contributing towards an increase in mental health problems in our communities. This emotional strain can, in turn, have a substantial impact on coronary health. When experiencing mental health issues, heart rates and blood pressure can rise, and there can be reduced blood flow to the heart, increasing the risk of heart problems.
Reducing the Risk
Now we’ve identified the risks, what steps can you take to make sure you’re giving yourself the best chance at a healthy heart Christmas?
Less is More
A one-off festive feast here and there is unlikely to have a significant effect on your health, so don’t abstain from Christmas Dinner per se. Instead, we’d suggest trying to reduce your intake of fatty foods in other areas. If you’re having a big lunch, opt for a lighter, healthier dinner.
Alternatively, try to avoid grazing and snacking between meals. Not only is this a great way to look after your heart at Christmas, it also means you’ll enjoy those main meals all the more.
The same can go for alcohol consumption too. Maybe try alternating between alcoholic and soft drinks to keep your alcohol intake down.
Prioritise Self Care
If you’re someone who struggles to maintain an exercise or self-care regime, try not to let Christmas interfere with this too much. Finding a structure that works for you and is beneficial to your health can be tricky, and sticking to it during the busy festive period can be even harder. But taking the time and effort to maintain your usual self-care patterns can have a huge impact on a healthy-heart Christmas.
This might be going for a daily walk (be sure to wrap up against the cold), reaching out to socialise with loved ones or even meditating. No matter what your healthy routine is, trying to keep up with it over Christmas is definitely worth it in the long run.
Reduce Pressure
Christmas is meant to be fun, but as we mentioned earlier, it can be stressful too. If you’re feeling overwhelmed during the festive period, taking a step back and focusing on the things that really matter can be a great way to reduce stress.
Exercise, socialising and taking some well-earned time to yourself, as well as focusing on the things that are really important to you, are great ways to reduce stress. Remembering that the festive season is supposed to be a fun, relaxing time to spend with the people you love the most is a brilliant way to prepare your heart for Christmas.
How WEL Medical can help this Christmas
At WEL Medical, we provide some of the most accessible and forward-thinking lifesaving products on the market.
Whether you’re looking for equipment or information on teaching or learning CPR or a defibrillator for your local community, we can help.
Have a look at our blog posts below for more information about heart health, and please contact us to see how we can provide life-saving training and equipment to help you this Christmas.
