Navratri 2025: Cardiologist warns your garba night may cause this health risk; suggests dos and don’ts for safety

Navratri 2025: The nine days of Navratri are filled with thrilling energy as people enjoy the much-awaited garba nights. But one thing many forget: precautions for your health. Garba goes on for hours, moving around in circles; the dance steps demand strength and stamina. This could lead to repercussions on your health if you don’t take due precautions.

Devotees join in for garba nights, enthusiastically grooving to beats every evening during Navratri. (AI Generated)

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According to Dr Ganesh Kumar AV, Director of Cardiology at Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, in Powai, Mumbai, garba has the potential to exert a lot of physical strain on the body and heart, in particular.

He told HT Lifestyle in an interview, people may not be able to dance for long hours, especially if they have been spending long hours sitting at their desk jobs or have chronic ailments. Since garba is a very vigorous dance, from keeping in tune with the rhythmic steps to clapping or using dandiya, it can be physically very demanding.

Dr Kumar said, “This amount of activity is generally acceptable to younger and physically fit people. Garba may be a sudden and overwhelming burden to most of the people who have been accustomed to desk jobs or have chronic ailments. This is an unknown rush of energy, especially when continued over a long period, that strains the heart and leads to complications.”

Major health risk from garba?

Feeling exhausted is natural because garba involves wearing heavy ethnic outfits, jewellery, spinning around in circles. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

While Navratri may feel incomplete without grooving at garba nights, health is the top priority. So what is the major risk from garba?

Dr Kumar revealed it is dehydration, which makes the heart overwork, especially for people with already existing cardiovascular diseases and other chronic co-morbidities. In fact, it is not to be taken lightly because patients with heart diseases face the risk of heart attacks from strenuous activities like garba.

The cardiologist explained, “The key risk of such long hours of dancing is dehydration, which makes the work of the heart more complicated. This is particularly something to be worried about by individuals prone to coronary artery disease because, at times, extreme physical activity can lead to the rupture of the plaque in arteries and result in heart attacks. These dangers rise with individuals who are obese, affected with hypertension, diabetes, or have a sedentary lifestyle.”

Dos and Don’ts for safe garba

Garba can be done safely, given you follow a few dos and don’ts. This way, you stay healthy and enjoy the festival.

Here are the dos and don’ts Dr Kumar listed:

Do’s:

1. Pace yourself: Start slowly with the duration and intensity coming up gradually. Garba is like a workout.

2. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during and after dance so that you do not become dehydrated and strain your heart excessively.

3. Participate symbolically: Participate in garba symbolically if you know you have cardiovascular risks or are not physically active. You will be able to enjoy the festive atmosphere without working too hard.

4. Know your health: If you are chronically ill with diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity, then be aware of the impact of physical exertion and consult a doctor before engaging in physical activity.

Don’ts:

1. Don’t overspend: You do not have to dance for hours, at least not when your body is not used to this kind of physical exercise.

2. Don’t ignore symptoms: Immediately stop and seek medical help in case of chest pains, dizziness, shortness of breath or excessive fatigue.

3. Forget about exercises: Sitting at the computer makes your heart weak. Do some physical activities on the days leading up to your garba night to accustom the body to the sudden outbursts of activity.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.