The joy of the winter holiday season is often marred for many as research shows that more people die from heart attacks during the last week of December than at any other time of the year.

"The holidays are a busy, often stressful, time for many of us. Routines are disrupted; we may tend to eat and drink more and exercise and relax less. We’re getting too little sleep and experiencing too much stress. We also may not be listening to our bodies or paying attention to warning signs, thinking a trip to the doctor can wait until after the new year,” said Dr. William Gill, a cardiologist who is president of the American Heart Association. He continued “While we don’t know exactly why there are more deadly heart attacks during this time of year, it’s important to be aware that all of these factors can be snowballing contributors to increasing the risk for a deadly cardiac event."

Scientific research finds an uptick in cardiac events during the winter holiday season. A study published reported that more cardiac deaths occur on December 25 than on any other day of the year; the second largest number of cardiac deaths occurs on December 26, and the third largest number occurs on January 1.

Research also shows that the biggest increases in these holiday heart attack deaths are among people who are not in a hospital. This highlights the importance of recognizing symptoms and seeking immediate medical care. Starting CPR immediately and calling 9-1-1 could be the difference in life or death in those situations. Hands-Only CPR is something nearly everyone can learn and do.

The American Heart Association has more on ways to live heart-healthy during the holidays and all year long at heart.org.