3 Ways To Control Holiday Stress To Keep Your Heart Healthy

Health & Medical Blog

If you have long suspected that holiday stress may take a toll on your heart, then statistics prove your suspicion correct. Not only do more heart attacks occur during the holiday season than during any other time of the year, but heart attacks that occur during this time of year can also be more deadly. Stress during the holiday season can cause your blood pressure to rise, which can cause many heart conditions to worsen. Follow these tips to help keep your stress levels down during the holidays to keep your heart healthy. 

1. Shop Online if You Hate Crowds

Many people hate shopping when stores are crowded. You have to fight to find a parking space in the lots, then you have to dodge to keep other shoppers from running into you when inside the store. Many people just accept this as part of life when it really does not have to be. 

To prevent things that cause your blood pressure to soar, like parking lot road rage and the chaos inside stoors this time of year, just shop online instead. You can browse online stores peacefully at home and even have items gift-wrapped for you, so you don't have to perform that work at home. Many websites even offer free or discounted shipping during the holiday season. 

2. Pass the Holiday Dinner Torch to Someone Else

If you have prepared holiday dinners for the family for years, and instead of looking forward to it, you now dread it, then pass the dinner preparation duties to someone else. Make it known before holiday plans start being made that you are not hosting a dinner this year. If someone else wants to volunteer, they will, and if not, then your family can go out to dinner. 

If anyone asks you why you are not hosting anymore, just tell them the truth that the stress of it all is taking a toll on your health. You may be surprised to find out that another family member has been eager to host for years, but did not want to "step on the toes" of the usual host. 

3. Squeeze in Daily Indoor Exercise

The winter is a difficult time to exercise outdoors if you live in a cold, snowy climate. If you suffer from high blood pressure or a heart condition, you should actually avoid exercising outdoors when it is very cold. Cold weather can cause constriction of your blood vessels, which can cause blood pressure to rise and outdoor exercise to turn deadly for people who have heart problems. 

Instead, find a way to engage in some light indoor exercise every morning to relieve stress while keeping good cardiovascular health. You can practice a little yoga, workout to an exercise DVD, or even walk a few laps around your house. 

While some holiday stress may seem inevitable, prevent the stress that you can and manage stress you cannot avoid to keep your blood pressure from rising and exacerbating heart problems. Speak to your doctor if you feel you need additional help to keep your blood pressure under control this holiday season. For more information, contact a clinic such as Valley Medical Care.

Share

26 November 2014

Help Others Make Health Decisions when They Cannot

One day I was playing a game of basketball with a friend, and the friend I was playing ball with tripped and took a hard fall to the ground. He hit his head hard, but he insisted he was okay and just wanted to go home and take a nap. I knew in my heart that he was not thinking clearly, and I didn't feel right letting him go home. I talked him into letting me take him to the hospital, and after some tests, it was determined he had a bad concussion. The doctors told me that if I had let him go home and sleep, things could have taken a turn for the worse. I created this blog to remind everyone to look out for each other after injuries. Not everyone thinks clearly after a head injury, and just being a good friend could save a life.