The festive season is synonymous with togetherness, indulgent meals, late nights and travel. With Christmas and New Year arriving in quick succession, celebrations often stretch over days, sometimes weeks.
While the spirit of festivity is uplifting, the disruption it causes to daily routines can quietly take a toll on health. Skipped medications, erratic sleep cycles, overeating, alcohol consumption and reduced physical activity often become part of the season, creating a perfect storm for avoidable medical emergencies.
What Doctors Are Seeing During The Holidays
According to Dr. Sachin Shetty, Senior Consultant – Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, festive periods consistently show a spike in lifestyle-related health issues. “When multiple festivals coincide, people tend to abandon routines they’ve maintained for months – food timings change, sleep reduces, exercise stops and medication compliance drops,” he explains.
Dr. Shetty notes that excess alcohol consumption during this time can trigger acute conditions. “Binge drinking can cause pancreatitis or alcoholic hepatitis, while excess smoking increases the risk of heart attacks and worsens respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and COPD,” he says. He also highlights the phenomenon known as Holiday Heart Syndrome, where heavy alcohol intake combined with salty foods can lead to irregular heart rhythms.
The Overlooked Dangers Of Binge Eating And Smoking
While alcohol often takes centre stage in festive health discussions, Dr. Mukesh Thakur, Director – Internal Medicine & Acute Medicine at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, points to other equally harmful patterns. “Binge drinking is widely discussed, but binge eating and binge smoking receive far less attention. In Europe, this cluster of illnesses seen after Christmas is referred to as Yuletide Syndrome,” he explains.
In the Indian context, Dr. Thakur warns that the risk is amplified. “Many people in their late thirties and beyond do not undergo regular health check-ups and may unknowingly have hypertension, diabetes, poor sleep or sedentary lifestyles,” he says. Combined with cultural norms that encourage guests to eat and drink excessively, this can significantly raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Hidden Risks And Delayed Medical Care
Another concerning trend during the festive season is delayed medical attention. Dr. Shetty points out that people often ignore early warning signs. “Fatigue, chest discomfort or breathlessness are frequently dismissed as festive exhaustion,” he says, adding that delays in consulting doctors during holidays can worsen outcomes that are otherwise preventable.
Sleep deprivation further compounds the problem. Dr. Shetty explains that lack of rest can elevate blood pressure, worsen mental health conditions and increase the risk of depression. Travel-related illnesses, from food-borne infections to viral illnesses caused by extreme weather changes, are also commonly reported during this period.
How To Celebrate Without Compromising Health
Both experts stress that most festive health complications are preventable. “Do not force anyone to eat, drink or smoke if they refuse. People with known hypertension, diabetes or heart disease must strictly avoid binge behaviours and continue their medications, routines and adequate sleep,” advises Dr. Thakur.
Dr. Shetty echoes this sentiment, recommending moderation across all activities. “Avoid excess alcohol and smoking, prioritise rest, take medications on time and avoid extreme physical exertion if your body is not conditioned for it,” he says.
Festivals are meant to bring joy, not hospital visits. Mindful eating, adequate sleep, medication compliance and listening to your body can go a long way in ensuring celebrations remain memorable for the right reasons. By choosing balance over excess, the festive season can truly become a time of wellbeing, warmth and lasting happiness.
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