The holiday season is packed with activities as people join their loved ones for celebrations. The excitement and action of holiday seasons can potentially lead to accidents. Health-related emergencies occur unexpectedly, and it is essential to avoid them. Here’s how you can reduce heart attacks and other accidents during the holidays
How to Reduce the Risk of Accidents at Home?
Various risks often lead to common holiday injuries at home. The last thing you need is to spend your holiday in a hospital bed nursing an injury. Here are the common causes of injuries at home over the festive season and tips on avoiding them.
1. Fire Break Outs
There are different causes of fire at home over the festive periods. These are electrical faults, cooking fires, candles, and charcoal. Ensure your home, and loved ones are safe from possible fire breakouts, remember the following:
- Be on the outlook for electrical hazards. Holiday decorating is a leading cause of electrical fires and electrocution over the holidays. The decorations you use might result in wear and tear over time. It is imperative to have it well checked before use and throw it away if you notice any faults. These include loose connections, exposed wires, and frayed ends. Even newly purchased decorations can have malfunctions and should be pre-tested before you bring them to your home.
- Avoid plugging your electrical decorations in too long as they might overheat. As you leave the house, unplug all the lights.
- Christmas trees commonly cause fires at home. The lights you put on your Christmas tree should be in good condition. Also, keeping your tree well-watered will prevent it from catching fire quickly. Unplug the holiday lights on the tree whenever you’re not around and before bed.
- Candles are also a potential cause of fire at your home. If you are using the real candles, place them in a stable holder at safe locations where they cannot be tripped over. Use the safer flameless LED candles if you have children in the house.
- If using charcoal, place it outside the house where there is free circulation of air to avoid carbon poisoning.
2. Children and Possible Injuries
The jumpy nature of children can result in serious injuries. It is therefore essential to keep an eye on your children, especially when visiting new places. Holiday decorations pose a threat to children. As you use the décor, look out for the following risks.
3. Prevention From Risk of Choking
Certain holiday items such as Christmas decorations might be tempting for children and pets to put in their mouths. Always keep an eye on your child and pets as you put the decorations in place. If you have children around, it is best to have the risky decorations placed at the top of the tree.
4. Prevention From Possible Poisoning
Some decorations used on the Christmas tree are poisonous and should be kept out of children’s reach. These include the mistletoe, Jerusalem cherries, and holly berries.
5. Physical Injuries
Physical injuries are quite common with all the activities going on over the holiday season. It is important to practice caution in the following:
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- Lifting Items: Always lift items with your knees and legs rather than your back. Heavy lifting and carrying heavy items done in the wrong way can cause serious back injuries. It is helpful to stretch first before doing any heavy lifting.
- Climbing High Places: When climbing high places to put your Christmas decorations, use safe ladders. It is also essential to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on its use. Having someone else holding the ladder for you will keep you safer.
- Trip and Fall Incidents: The high energy that comes with the Christmas celebrations can leave you distracted. It is crucial to keep an eye on where you step. Avoid placing electrical cords on the floor where people often walk. Keep items out of the floor space as much as possible. With children around, there could be items on the floor on which you might trip. Children should have their own playing space to avoid having toys all over.
6. Holiday Heart Syndrome
Also referred to as alcohol-induced atrial arrhythmias, Holiday heart syndrome is when healthy people without heart disease experience an acute cardiac rhythm disturbance known as atrial fibrillation after excessive alcohol intake. The most common symptoms of holiday heart syndrome are palpitations and shortness of breath. This is when it feels like your heart is beating abnormally fast or irregularly with skipped beats. Physicians also recognize holiday heart syndrome as a very real and potentially deadly phenomenon.
How to Reduce the Risk of Heart Attack Over the Holidays?
Heart attack cases are higher during the winter holiday season due to increased blood pressure. Other lifestyle factors also contribute to the rising cardiac arrest cases during the festive season. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and habits over the holidays is crucial to avoid falling victim to cardiac arrest. Here are some helpful tips to help prevent yourself from falling victim to a heart attack.
Also Read- CPR Training vs. AED Training: Which One Do I Need?
1. Stick to Your Medication
It is critical to keep taking your prescription drugs no matter the occasion. If you feel unwell, you must see your doctor as soon as possible.
2. Avoid Stress
Stress is a risk factor for heart attack. The shorter days packed with parties, family gatherings, friends outings, and office activities can be overwhelming. Planning is critical. If you can’t fit all the activities into your schedule, don’t overdo it. Look at the least important stuff and leave them out for a later date. Everyone has their way of letting off pressure. You can practice stress-release activities such as meditation and yoga.
Other fun activities might also help, such as watching an excellent relaxing movie or reading a book. Take some time off and focus on what makes you happy. Take enough rest and make sure you have a sufficient sleep. Sleep allows hour body to rejuvenate and the mind to relax. However much you have on your to-do list, you should have enough sleep. Working too much without rest might also put a lot of pressure on your heart. Always give your health priority.
3. Stay Active
Physical exercise is crucial in keeping your heart healthy. Do not let the festivities divert your attention from your routine exercise. As you stay active, it is important to avoid strenuous activities that might put your health at risk, such as digging and shoveling.
4. Eat Healthily
Don’t get carried away by the food on the table. Sticking to the recommended diet is crucial if you are overweight or have heart problems. Go for plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoid animal products. You can also stay off parties if you feel they are not good for your health.
5. Quit Smoking
Smoking is a risk factor for heart attack and other life-threatening conditions. If you are a smoker, you might have to quit smoking. You might also use the help of a professional to do so.
6. Avoid Heavy Drinking of Alcohol
Binge drinking alcohol can trigger atrial fibrillation, which leads to a heart attack. If you have pre-existing heart conditions, always consult your doctor on the recommended levels of alcohol consumption and stick to the doctor’s advice.
7. Get the Flu Vaccine
According to studies, the flu vaccine helps reduce the risk of heart attack by 50%. It is, therefore, important that everyone gets vaccinated.
How Do You Handle Accidents During the Holidays?
It is essential to be prepared in case of emergencies. First aid certification and knowledge of CPR procedures are necessary. Cardiac arrest is a critical condition in which, if the victim is not offered the necessary help, they might die in minutes. The use of AED devices is equally important and is available in CPR and AED certification programs.
Also Read- CPR Training vs. AED Training: Which One Do I Need?
In case of injuries, first aid certification offers skills necessary in attending to victims. It covers a wide range of areas such as first aid for burns, bleeding, broken bones, sprains, and heat-related illnesses, among others.
Enroll Now for Online CPR/AED Training & Certification Classes at just $19.95.
