From today's Reuters Health Online:

Heart attack deaths spike over the holidays

The article says this phenomenon is increasing over time, and therefore worsening.

When you combine this information with what we know about holiday depression, holiday suicide attempts & successes, the actual health of the nation isn't looking too good at the holidays.

A study also came out today on Employment Related Deadline Pressure Raises Heart Attack Risk.

Neither study probably surpises most of us. But it does beg the question, so why do we needlessly keep exposing ourselves to these stresses? I mean, nobody holds a gun to our heads and screams:

Celebrate and Be Merry!!!

Or fires you for missing arbitrary deadlines at work.

We ain't talking brain surgery here folks. It's the holidays. Just goes to show what a vice grip the pressure from peers to conform is, I'd say.