Analyses & Etudes
Focus Healthcare: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Surviving the Festive Season
The end of the year is supposed to be a welcome breather. You catch up with friends, enjoy a few long dinners and finally switch off from the treadmill of work. But every December, hospitals see the same pattern: a jump in heart attacks and cardiac admissions. This isn’t random. It’s the unavoidable mix of stress, overeating, late nights and a bit too much enthusiasm at the drinks table. Even the healthiest hearts can feel the strain.
The Underestimated Role of Stress
If there’s a villain at this time of year, it’s stress. Most professionals hit December already depleted, then try to finish projects, meet targets and attend more social events than they can reasonably handle. Add the emotional weight of family gatherings, travel and expectations, and your sympathetic nervous system ends up running the show. That means higher blood pressure, poorer sleep and a heart that is more easily irritated by irregular rhythms. This isn’t just “feeling a bit wound up.” It has real physiological consequences.
Protect Your Sleep
Sleep is usually the first thing sacrificed, and the heart pays for it quickly. A handful of short nights in a row can push your blood pressure higher and make you far more prone to overindulging. A consistent wake time, even when your evenings are busy, does wonders. And as tempting as a nightcap might be, alcohol fragments sleep rather than deepens it, leaving your cardiovascular system with less time to reset.
Enjoy the Food, But Be Sensible
No cardiologist expects anyone to nibble on lettuce while everyone else tucks into a proper festive meal. The real issue isn’t the food, but the quantity. Large, salty meals can leave you bloated, thirsty and with temporarily raised blood pressure. Cured meats, cheeses and restaurant dishes carry far more sodium than most people realise. You can still enjoy everything on the table; just take a modest first portion, slow down and let your appetite catch up with your brain. You’ll enjoy the meal just as much without feeling like you need to lie down afterwards.
Alcohol and the “Holiday Heart”
December is when I see otherwise healthy people drift into atrial fibrillation for the very first time, simply because they stacked several nights of drinking on top of poor sleep and heavy meals. This is the classic “holiday heart” phenomenon. The fix is straightforward: drink, but pace yourself. Alternating each alcoholic drink with water and deciding in advance when you’ll call it a night make a remarkable difference.
Keep Moving, But Don’t Overdo It
Exercise helps enormously, but December is not the time to suddenly discover high-intensity training. If you haven’t been consistent all year, your joints and your heart won’t thank you for ambitious workouts squeezed between celebrations. A daily walk, a swim or a gentle gym session is more than enough to keep things steady.
Know Your Risks
If you already have hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol or any cardiac history, this is the time to keep a closer eye on things. A quick check of your blood pressure at home and awareness of symptoms like chest tightness, breathlessness or persistent palpitations can prevent bigger, more dramatic problems.
A Season to Enjoy Safely
The festive season shouldn’t be approached with fear or restriction. A bit of common sense goes a long way. Look after your sleep, enjoy your meals without overloading yourself, treat alcohol with respect and keep your body gently moving. With a touch of moderation, you can celebrate fully and still arrive in January feeling well rather than worn out.
By Dr Michael MacDonald, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Harley Street Heart & Vascular Centre
