Navigating Holiday Stress: How to Protect Your Heart

‘Tis the season — for a lot of things that can take a toll on your heart. While it’s a merry time of year, it’s also a busy one full of social and financial pressures, plus less-than-healthy foods and alcoholic drinks. 

You can be proactive about protecting your heart during the holiday season. And David Bolon, MD, is here to help. He and our team at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular developed this guide to help you minimize the adverse cardiac impacts of this time of year. We also offer cardiac screenings at our office in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York City. Combining these tips with that screening helps you head into 2026 with a healthy heart. 

Mind the mental burden of this time of year

Between buying gifts, navigating family dynamics, and balancing end-of-year work demands, the holiday season often gets stressful. The American Heart Association recommends taking specific steps to offset that stress, including:

• Connecting with people you love
• Deep breathing
• Doing something relaxing
• Finding things for which you’re grateful
• Not saying “yes” to everything if you’re already feeling overstretched
• Working on being present in each moment

If you notice yourself feeling tense, try to find a way to relieve that. A slow walk, a hot bath, or chatting with a friend can all ease stress. Proactively working to offset your tension helps you avoid stress’s negative impacts on your heart.

Build time into your schedule to take care of yourself

The final month of the year tends to be jam-packed. Don’t let the busyness of the season get in the way of your healthy habits, though.

Prioritize good sleep. Lean into the shorter daylight hours to get the rest your body needs. Doing so helps reduce many heart risks. It lowers your stress levels, too, an obviously beneficial impact during this time of year. 

Also, protect the time you usually set aside for exercise. If you want to go to a holiday happy hour when you’d usually go for a walk, use your lunch break to get your steps in, for example. Staying physically active during this time of year goes a long way toward supporting your heart health. 

Watch what you eat and drink

This is a particularly indulgent time of year. All of that sugar, salt, and alcohol can take a toll on your heart, though. If you go big one night, try to balance it out with a few days of healthy eating and minimal alcohol intake. 

Make a New Year’s resolution to schedule a cardiac screening

If you’re worried about the holiday’s toll on your heart health, see Dr. Bolon. Cardiac screening can evaluate your heart and its ability to handle stress. 

Based on what he finds through the screening, he tailors a plan to help you reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. 

To schedule your cardiac screening, call our office at (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online today.