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• The holidays can be a time of excess, which can wreak havoc on your health.
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the holidays is possible.
• Experts debunk 6 common health myths regarding holiday habits.

Parties, outings, dinners, brunches, and lunches. While the holiday season is packed with fun, it can also cause stress as you try to maintain a healthy lifestyle while engaging in festivities.

“The holidays are such an amazing and special time of year. But we also know this season can be a very chaotic and stressful time. We have a tendency to make poorer food choices and make less time for physical activity during these times,” Daniel Hermann, MD, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston, told Healthline.

A 2023 survey from the American Heart Association found that the holidays are more stressful than taxes, and more than three-quarters of the people surveyed agree that they overlooked their health needs during the holidays.

“[It] is very challenging to stay heart healthy during the holidays given the distractions from an abundance of high-caloric, high sodium, and high fat foods along with increased consumption of alcohol at social gatherings,” Laxmi Mehta, MD, a noninvasive cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical, told Healthline. “Also, relaxed schedules and travel results in a disruption of exercise routines.”

Add in the pressures of social gatherings and gift-giving, and prioritizing health comes last.

To help you navigate making healthy choices, experts debunk the most common myths about eating healthy and keeping stress-free during the holidays.

Myth: Stress is unavoidable during the holiday season

Even though the season feels fast-paced and hectic, taking a few minutes to relax and recharge is possible.

First, prioritize sleep by aiming for 7 to 9 hours. Second, continue to practice what makes you feel relaxed, whether it’s daily walks, reading, or watching a movie.

“Practicing relaxation techniques, like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation, is helpful too,” said Mehta. “And equally important is to set boundaries by not saying yes to everything and make realistic plans on what they can truly accomplish without being overwhelmed.”

Myth: Skipping meals saves calories

As tempting as it is to skip meals to “save your calories” for later, there are mixed messages on the benefits of doing so.

Some research shows that skipping meals may have positive effects on blood sugar and bad cholesterol, while other evidence reports that doing so may make you hungrier and lead to overeating.

One study found that meal skipping is associated with a higher mortality risk.

In general, Hermann said it is best to follow a heart healthy diet and lifestyle that you can make a habit and maintain. “Fad diets are, as a general rule, not maintained for the long term.”

Myth: Watching sodium intake is not important

Eating excess sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart failure, enlargement of the heart, and heart attack, said Mehta.

While sodium is ubiquitous in the American diet, Hermann said that when too much is consumed, it leads to fluid retention, which increases blood pressure and puts stress on the heart and other critical internal organs.

Below are the top 10 food sources of sodium in the American diet, according to the American Heart Association:

• Breads/rolls
• Pizza
• Sandwiches
• Cold cuts, lunch, and cured meats
• Soups
• Burritos/tacos
• Snacks like chips, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, and snack mixes
• Poultry
• Cheese
• Egg dishes/omelets

In addition to limiting the above foods and putting down the salt shaker, try eating fresh fruit and vegetables and reading labels for sodium content.

Myth: It’s OK to skip exercise during the holidays

Finding time to exercise during the holidays can be hard. In fact, nearly 45% of people report taking a break from exercise, and more than half report feeling tired and having less time for themselves.

“Exercise can help take your mind off food and also offset some of the excess calories consumed during the holidays…and can also help relieve stress too,” said Mehta.

Try to keep up with the same exercise schedule you follow year-round but be flexible and get creative if a holiday event throws you off track. Consider walking to a restaurant or friend’s house who is hosting a party or suggest a group bike ride rather than holiday brunch.

Remember that while exercising is good for the heart, it cannot completely offset unhealthy eating, noted Mehta.

Myth: Consuming extra alcoholic beverages during the holidays is OK

Sales for alcohol are highest in December. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s monthly retail sales survey for December 2022, sales for alcohol were 37% above the average for the other 11 months of the year. 

With an abundance of alcohol surrounding the holidays, it’s easy to indulge. In small or modest amounts, Hermann said alcohol has some theoretical cardiovascular benefits. However, keep in mind alcoholic beverages are high in calories, sugar, and salt.

Additionally, the World Health Organization released a statement in 2022 that said when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.

“[In] excess, it is clearly toxic. It’s linked with heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and obesity,” he said.

If avoiding alcohol altogether isn’t your plan, try limiting your consumption to one glass at parties and then switching to sparkling water or another low calorie, alcohol-free beverage.

Myth: You can catch up on sleep after the holidays

Sleep is the most underrated aspect of health because, during sleep, the body resets and repairs itself, said Hermann. Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, obesity, and dementia.

“Not getting enough sleep increases our stress levels and impacts our decision making skills, and so it is harder for people to make healthy lifestyle choices,” said Mehta. “Prolonged periods of inadequate sleep can cause heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure, significant weight gain, and diabetes.”

To get more sleep, the National Institutes of Health recommends the following.

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day of the week.
• Exercise daily but not too close to your bedtime.
• Get natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Cut back on nicotine and caffeine.
• Only take short naps and avoid taking them in the afternoon or later.
• Don’t drink alcohol and big meals before bedtime, which can prevent deep, restorative sleep.
• Instead of using screens before bed, relax by reading a book or listening to calming music.
• Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark.
• If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes in bed, get up and engage in a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy.

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• New research suggests that low to moderate wine consumption as part of the Mediterranean diet could help lower the risk of heart disease.
• Experts caution there are health risks associated with daily alcohol consumption that should be considered.
• Lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet, daily exercise, and adequate sleep are more productive ways to promote heart health.

Is the occasional glass of wine good for your heart?

New research is adding to the debate over whether drinking a moderate amount of wine daily can provide health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease.

The study, published December 18 in the European Heart Journal, reports that drinking a small or moderate amount of wine with adherence to a Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of serious cardiovascular disease by as much as 50%.

“We have found a much greater protective effect of wine than that observed in other studies. A reduction in risk of 50 percent is much higher than can be achieved with some drugs, such as statins,” said lead study author Ramon Estruch, a professor at the University of Barcelona and researcher at the Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Spain, in a news release.

“This study examines the importance of moderate wine consumption within a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet. Until now, we believed that 20 percent of the effects of the Mediterranean diet could be attributed to moderate wine consumption. However, in light of these results, the effect may be even greater,” Estruch continued.

Is wine in moderation good for your heart?

The latest research is part of a larger Spanish study that looked into the effects of a Mediterranean diet on people with a higher risk of developing heart disease.

The participants in this large cohort had no cardiovascular disease at the start of the research, but they did have either type 2 diabetes or a combination of heart disease risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

For the new study, researchers looked at 1,232 participants from the group. During a follow-up period of 4 to 5 years, 685 of the subjects developed cardiovascular disease.

In the group of people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease who were following a Mediterranean diet, researchers reported that the risk was lowered by 50% in people who were light-to-moderate wine drinkers. That was defined as drinking a half glass to one glass of wine per day.

The researchers added that people who drank between less than a half glass and one full glass of wine per week reduced their cardiovascular disease risk by 38%.

They noted that the health benefits disappeared in people who drank more than one glass of wine per day.

The participants completed questionnaires about what they ate and drank, but they also submitted urine samples at the beginning of the study and after a year of following a Mediterranean diet.

The urine samples were used to measure tartaric acid, a chemical naturally found in grapes and grape-derived products such as wine. This type of acid is excreted in urine and can used to show if someone has consumed wine and/or grapes in the previous five to six days.

Eric Rimm, ScD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, said urine biomarkers are an important component of this research. Rimm wasn’t involved in the study.

“This particular finding is a small component of how the Mediterranean diet may contribute to better cardiometabolic health,” Rimm told Healthline.

“Wine has been a part of this health diet pattern for centuries, and this novel biomarker helps identify a specific compound that is tied to grape consumption. By examining this as a biomarker, it removes some of the concerns about accurate reporting of usual alcohol consumption,” he noted.

The debate over wine and health benefits

There has been conflicting data on whether daily wine consumption can contribute to better health outcomes.

Some research has concluded that red wine in particular may improve cardiovascular health as well as lower the risk of dementia, depression, and insulin resistance.

However, it has also been noted that excessive drinking can dramatically increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, liver cirrhosis, and other chronic health conditions.

Some experts have noted the decrease in cardiovascular disease risk among wine drinkers may be due to the fact the people in Mediterranean countries tend to have a healthier diet and a healthier lifestyle.

However, several experts contacted by Healthline who weren’t involved in the study said that while the new research has its merits, the issue of whether wine, or any alcohol, has health benefits is, at best, muddled.

“The study adds yet more information to the ongoing debate on the health effects of moderate wine consumption. As with all observational studies, the direction of causality cannot be certain,” said Cheng-Han Chen, MD, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in California.

“Throughout decades of research, we have not found a clear benefit of wine/alcohol intake to heart health,” Chen told Healthline. “Conversely, we know a lot about the harms of drinking. Because of this, the World Health Organization states that no amount of alcohol use can be considered safe or beneficial.”

Rigved Tadwalkar, MD, a consultative cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California, told Healthline the study “provides intriguing insights into the potential cardiovascular benefits of light-to-moderate wine consumption, particularly for individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease who are adhering to a Mediterranean diet.”

“However, it is important to note that while the study demonstrates a correlation between moderate wine consumption and reduced cardiovascular events, it does not establish causation,” Tadwalkar said.

“The study, while robust, remains observational, which means confounding factors cannot be entirely ruled out. Also, the study population consisted of older adults at high risk of cardiovascular disease in a Mediterranean country, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other populations or age groups,” he noted.

Jayne Morgan, MD, a cardiologist and vice president of medical affairs at Hello Heart, says one of the issues is the chemical resveratrol, which is found in the skin of grapes and other foods.

The compound has been credited in the past with lowering heart disease risk as well as helping prevent type 2 diabetes and improving memory.

“Part of the conflict lies in resveratrol, which is a compound in many red wines that is purported to have cardiovascular benefits,” Morgan told Healthline. 

“However, the American Heart Association aptly points out that the risks of alcohol intake outweigh any potential benefits for most individuals. Resveratrol is not as protective as previously touted and not worth the intake of wine or alcohol in order to try to achieve the benefits,” she added.

Tadwalkar also expressed caution about the purported benefits of wine.

“The debate over wine consumption and its health implications is long-standing and complex,” he said. “While prior studies have suggested that light or moderate wine intake, particularly red wine, may confer cardiovascular benefits, these findings are not universally accepted and recent research challenges this notion.”

How much alcohol should you drink?

Alcohol use, in general, has also been studied extensively for its potentially harmful effects on human health.

Perhaps this is why the World Health Organization (WHO) declared in 2023 that no amount of alcohol consumption is considered safe.

A 2023 study stated that even one drink per day can increase a person’s blood pressure. A 2024 study reported that even moderate drinking can raise a person’s risk of cancer.

Current U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that females limit their alcohol use to one drink or less per day while males should have two drinks or less per day.

The guidelines note that people with certain medical conditions, including pregnancy, as well as people who are taking medications should avoid alcohol altogether.

“In general, I recommend that people limit their alcohol consumption as much as possible as we have not found a clear health benefit to drinking, only harm,” said Chen.

“For those who already consume and plan to continue, moderation and context are key,” added Tadwalkar. “While mild to moderate alcohol intake could offer some health benefits, particularly in the setting of a balanced diet, the potential risks should not be underestimated.”

“For individuals who do not currently drink alcohol, there is certainly no need to start for health reasons,” he added.

Tips tower your cardiovascular disease risk

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for males, females, and people of most racial and ethnic groups.

In 2022, more than 700,000 people in the United States died from heart disease.

Experts agree that lifestyle factors are the important components to reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Among the beneficial factors are:

• a healthy diet
• regular exercise
• adequate sleep
• managing weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure
• reducing stress
• avoiding tobacco

“There are certainly safer ways to improve health other than drinking red wine, such as eating a heart healthy diet, exercising, managing blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, weight, and stress,” said Morgan. “Plus, if you smoke, quit, and avoid secondhand smoke. Moreover, know your family history and get genetic screening if indicated.”

“To effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, individuals should focus on a comprehensive approach that includes a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and lifestyle modifications,” added Tadwalkar.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil and nuts, is foundational. The Mediterranean diet, a topic of this research study, has been shown to be particularly beneficial for heart health.”

Rimm said moderate alcohol consumption is only one part of the equation.

“Alcohol is only a small part of cardiovascular health,” he noted. “Diet, sleep, body weight, physical activity, blood pressure, total HDL cholesterol, and reduced stress [are important]. Wine can be part of that, but only a little and spread out over the week. This new great study from Spain has results to suggest that this is still a very good message.”

Takeaway

A new observational study suggests that low to moderate wine consumption in conjunction with a Mediterranean diet could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, the study can’t draw firm conclusions about causation, which may warrant further research.

There has been conflicting research on whether moderate use of alcohol can provide health benefits, with current evidence suggesting little to no health benefits at all.

Experts say lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep are more productive ways to achieve this goal.

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