Health and Lifestyle Tip

Why exercise at Christmas matters

Did you know that heart attack rates increase during the festive period? Join us as we delve into some of the benefits of exercise for heart health, offer some ideas to help you build sustainable movement routines and serve up a festive exercise challenge.

Staying active is one of the most powerful ways to keep your heart healthy. Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, supports healthy cholesterol levels, manages weight, and boosts energy – all things we want to carry through the festive season. But during Christmas time, many of us slip out of our routines and spend more time being sedentary than moving. While taking a few days to unwind is perfectly fine, letting those days stretch into weeks can make it much harder to get back on track once the celebrations are over.

In this month’s Healthy Tip – Amie Leckie, Registered Nutritional Therapist and Lauren Hewitt, Registered Associate Nutritionist, delve into some of the benefits of exercise for heart health, offer some ideas to help you build sustainable movement routines and serve up a festive exercise challenge you can do from home to help you keep moving this festive season.

Why Christmas movement is important

Did you know that heart attack rates increase during the festive period? While many factors may contribute to this, it’s likely that stress, overindulgence of unhealthy foods, excess alcohol, and reduced physical activity all play a role. Of course, enjoying a few festive treats and drinks is part of the fun for many of us, but why not decide ahead of time to balance the celebrations with regular bursts of activity to help protect your heart?

You can still meet the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week, even during the holidays, by making a few simple tweaks to your routine.

Lauren Hewitt, Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK, explains:

“Exercise doesn’t always have to mean going to the gym, playing a sport or running a marathon. It can be enjoying brisk winter walks with your family, Christmas Day bike rides, or even setting a timer for ten minutes and dancing in your kitchen.”

Exercise is also one of the best energy boosters – and at such a busy time of year, with long car journeys and last-minute present shopping, we need all the energy we can get. Staying active helps you feel more alert, upbeat, and ready to take on the festivities, which is why keeping exercise in your schedule, or adding it in if you currently do nothing, should be non-negotiable.

5 tips for staying active this Christmas

Move in the morning
Many behavioural experts agree that our willpower is strongest at the start of the day, so tick off your movement goals early. Head out for a walk before the festivities begin – you’ll feel accomplished and energised before most people have had their first mince pie!
Plan ahead
Make physical activity part of your festive schedule. Whether you’re travelling, hosting, or hopping between social events, planning ahead helps prevent your usual routine from slipping. Even a quick walk or stretch between gatherings adds up.
Be active together
Turn exercise into a social occasion – head out for a family walk, go ice skating, or enjoy a bike ride with friends. Amie Leckie, Health & Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, shares: “I head out on regular walks each week with my neighbour – it helps keep us both accountable, and we plan to keep up the habit over the festive period because it makes us feel energised and boosts our mood.”
Include gentle movement
The Christmas season can be busy and stressful, so build in some slower-paced activities like yoga, Pilates, or simple stretching sessions. These not only improve flexibility and strength but also provide a calm moment to recharge amidst the hustle and bustle.
Try our 12 Days of Heart-Healthy Exercise Challenge
Join our 12-day festive fitness challenge to stay active and support your heart health throughout the holidays. It’s a fun, structured way to keep moving and feel great heading into the new year.

Getting back on track after the break

If you fall off the wagon, you won’t be alone, however, don’t throw in the towel after a few days off – remember we aren’t aiming for perfect, and some movement is better than none. The festive season brings a change of routine, and that’s completely normal. Getting back on track isn’t about punishing yourself for missed workouts or extra mince pies – it’s about gently rebuilding your habits and remembering why they matter.

Start small – go for a walk, stretch while the kettle boils, or revisit a favourite workout that makes you feel good. Consistency will return quicker than you think, especially if you focus on how movement boosts your mood, supports your heart health and leaves you feeling energised. Amie Leckie, Health & Wellbeing Specialist says, “the key is to move forward with kindness, not guilt – every step counts toward a stronger, healthier you.”

Last January we dedicated a whole Healthy Tip on the subject of behaviour change – if you missed it, head there now to get some insight into habit formation to help you start 2026 strong.

12 Days of Heart-Healthy Exercise Challenge

We’ve created a festive fitness challenge to help you stay active this Christmas season. Traditionally, the 12 Days of Christmas run from Christmas day to the 5th of January, but you can start whenever it works best for you – we think starting a few days before Christmas would be ideal. The goal is simply to keep moving during that “out of routine” holiday period.

Download your FREE copy of our 12 Days of Heart-Healthy Exercise Challenge now – Merry Christmas!