11/26/2025
I had no idea this was true…the more you know 🌈
From Dr Laurie Marbas
The Three Deadliest Days for the Heart (And How to Protect Yours This Holiday Season)
For decades, researchers have seen the same strange pattern in U.S. mortality data: More people die from cardiovascular causes on December 25th than any other day of the year. December 26th is second. January 1st is third.
It isn’t magic. It’s the collision of cold weather, heavier meals, disrupted routines, alcohol, emotional stress, and (most dangerous of all) delayed care. People tell themselves they’ll “wait until after the holiday.” Many never get that chance.
But the holidays don’t have to be hard on your heart. A few small, strategic shifts can make this season easier on your cardiovascular system than any December you’ve lived through.
Here are five simple ways to stay heart-healthy through the holidays:
1. Anchor one truly normal meal each day.
The holidays warp portion sizes and sodium intake. One predictable, fiber-rich, lower-salt meal each day stabilizes blood pressure, blood sugar, and appetite.
2. Walk for ten minutes after the biggest meal.
A short post-meal walk lowers blood glucose, reduces after-dinner sluggishness, and supports endothelial health. It’s small but disproportionately powerful.
3. Keep alcohol inside a deliberate boundary.
Decide your limit before the event. Binge drinking triggers arrhythmias (“holiday heart”) and blood pressure spikes, one of the fastest ways to end up in the ER.
4. Avoid the “I don’t want to make a fuss” trap.
Chest pressure, shortness of breath, radiating pain, sudden dizziness, don’t wait until the holiday is over. Waiting is one of the main reasons cardiac mortality spikes this time of year.
5. Protect sleep like it’s medication.
Lack of sleep raises inflammation, blood pressure, and sympathetic tone. The holidays already push your physiology hard, rest is your buffer.
Small actions matter this time of year more than people realize. Your heart doesn’t care what day it is, but it responds instantly to how you live through it.
Please share this tips with loved ones and friends this holiday season.
The Three Deadliest Days for the Heart (And How to Protect Yours This Holiday Season) For decades, researchers have seen the same strange pattern in U.S. mortality data: More people die from cardiovascular causes on December 25th than any other day of the year. December 26th is second. January 1st i...
