The Holidays: Expect More Snoring & Higher Heart Rates
A Sleeptracker-AI study of over 1.5 million nights of sleep through the 2020/2021 holiday season shows a consistent pattern: snoring increases and nocturnal heart rate rises. The same trends are developing in the 2021/2022 holiday season. Lifestyle factors — food, alcohol consumption, and reduced physical activity — are the primary drivers.
The health implications extend beyond sleep quality. Published research shows that patients admitted for stroke during the holiday season face higher mortality risks than those admitted on weekdays or weekends, even after adjusting for stroke severity. Separately, holiday weight gain is well documented, persisting even among individuals actively trying to lose weight. The Sleeptracker-AI data adds a sleep dimension to this broader picture of holiday physiological stress.
