According to a 2017 article in Alcohol Research, alcohol weakens your heart’s ability to contract, which can result in irregular or fast heartbeats. When you consume five or more drinks in a single sitting, you’re at an increased risk for atrial fibrillation. Binge drinking and heavy daily drinking are both associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Although holiday heart syndrome is mostly associated with binge drinking, it can occur in people who rarely drink alcohol.
Holiday heart syndrome can occur in people with no previous heart conditions, according to a 2013 article in Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia. Irregular heartbeats due to holiday heart syndrome can put you at a higher risk for stroke or death. Alcohol increases the levels of fatty acids in your blood, which can contribute to problems with your heart’s rhythms. When your body breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde, this might trigger substances in your heart that cause an irregular heartbeat.
Holiday heart syndrome doesn’t necessarily just occur between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Any occasion where you combine alcohol, stress, caffeine, and high-sodium and fatty meals could increase your risk of holiday heart syndrome (per Baystate Health).
