With everything that makes this time of year so stressful for some people, is it any wonder the American Heart Association says Christmas Day is one of the most common days of the year to have a heart attack?
It is a phenomenon that has been studied for years — that the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day has a deadly effect on people — and there are several key factors to what experts call the “Merry Christmas Coronary” and the “Happy New Year Heart Attack.”
For those who live in colder climes, cold air tends to make blood vessels shrink as the body seeks to keep the red stuff warm, and that can have a negative effect on the circulatory system. However, back in 2004, a group of researchers noted the seasonal heart attack spike during the holidays is also found in warmer places, like California.
So what gives in this time of giving?
Turns out, like an ugly Christmas sweater, it’s likely too much of everything.
According to the study, which was published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, it’s more than cold temps. The added stress around the holidays is a contributing factor. So too are drinking and eating to excess this time of year. The higher rates of flu and respiratory infections in the winter also play a part.
Decreased exposure to sunlight was found to have played a role, but a key factor was delaying seeking medical attention for symptoms over a fear one would “ruin the holidays” if they go to the ER between Christmas and New Year’s.
One other possible cause? The so-called “Postponement of Death” phenomenon — when a person’s will to “power through” the holidays in spite of poor health finally reaches the end of the holiday season.