DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: Christmas puts your heart at risk – here’s how to protect yourself

Last Christmas I gave you my heart: these lyrics from the Christmas carol of Wham! is hard to avoid this time of year; and unfortunately these words are literally true for many people.

Because the Christmas holiday is not only a time of joy and happiness, but also the peak of heart attacks.

According to the American Medical Association, there are more cardiac deaths on Christmas Day than any other day of the year, closely followed by Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

What’s more, a study presented at the British Cardiocular Society conference in June this year found that the risk of a heart attack is much higher on Monday than on any other day of the week – precisely on Christmas Day this year. .

Why might this time of year be so bad for our hearts – and most importantly, what can you do to reduce the risk of you or a loved one having a heart attack over the holidays and into the New Year?

According to the American Medical Association, there are more cardiac deaths on Christmas Day than any other day of the year, closely followed by Boxing Day and New Year’s Day (file photo).

One reason for this increased risk is the colder weather, which means your heart has to work harder to keep you warm; and this increases the risk of blood clots, which in turn means a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.

This time of year you are also much more likely to get the flu, which can lead to more blood clots and inflammation.

In addition, we eat and drink much more than usual during the Christmas season. A study shows that people usually consume around 6,000 calories on Christmas Day alone. But there is also plenty of festive food in the run-up to the big day, and this, along with the drinks, puts even more pressure on your heart.

All this also means that we pay less attention to the symptoms of a heart attack, especially when the pain is relatively mild.

If you’ve eaten too much, you may dismiss chest pain as a case of indigestion instead of calling an ambulance or going to the emergency room.

Other possible causes of a heart attack at Christmas include increased stress (not all family gatherings are pleasant) and sleep disturbances.

So what can you do about it?

We eat and drink much more than usual during the Christmas season. A study shows that people consume around 6,000 calories on Christmas Day alone (stock photo).

In the run-up to the big day itself, there is also plenty of festive food, which together with the drinks puts even more pressure on the heart (photo)

If you’re eligible, I recommend getting a flu shot (I got one too) and trying to limit the amount of alcohol you drink, especially if you’re at higher risk for a heart attack.

However, I know this is easier said than done. I love sweet treats so much that I asked friends and family not to give me chocolate for Christmas this year. Instead, I eat walnuts or almonds because they are rich in protein and healthy fats, which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

I try to reduce the amount of alcohol I drink by alternating each glass of alcohol with a glass of water.

I also make sure to go for a brisk walk immediately after a heavy meal, as this helps move some of the fat and sugar from my blood to my muscles where it can be safely burned. And this year, when we visit my mother, who lives by the sea, I might even go swimming on Christmas Day.

Since stress plays a big role in holiday-related heart attacks, I’ll be singing Christmas carols with particular enthusiasm because research shows that singing not only increases levels of endocannabinoids (feel-good chemicals your body produces), but also markers such as heart rate variability (ie the time between each heartbeat), which is a powerful indicator of heart health.

I also regularly do deep breathing exercises (my favorite is 4:2:4 – you breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of two, then breathe out through your mouth for a count of four ). ), as a few minutes of this slows your heart rate and creates a wonderful sense of calm.

I find that slow, deep breathing is especially helpful when I’m awake at night because it helps me fall back asleep quickly – and this is important because poor sleep is another major risk factor for a heart attack.

Research presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in June this year found that the risk of a heart attack is much higher on Monday than on any other day of the week – the day Christmas falls this year (stock photo)

A study presented at the American College of Cardiology conference last February found that insomnia increases the risk of a heart attack by 69 percent — and the Christmas holiday, with all the drinking and late nights, is almost certain to disrupt sleep. You feel tired and stressed.

It should help to drink less alcohol and close your eyes instead.

And finally: If I didn’t already have a blood pressure monitor, I would ask Santa for one before Christmas, because the measurement is the only way to determine if blood pressure is elevated, a leading cause of heart attacks.

So that’s the bad news. The good news is that more people than ever are surviving heart attacks, and the sooner you adopt healthier habits, the sooner you’ll reduce your risks.

As well as lifestyle changes there are of course statins (which I take) as well as more modern medications such as PCSK9 inhibitors, which are available on the NHS for people who cannot tolerate statins or for whom statins are not enough to reduce the risk. of heart attack.

A vaccine is even being developed at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in the US that has proven to be a cost-effective and efficient way to lower cholesterol levels in animals.

In the meantime, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.