Chronic lateness is known to be a common annoyance, often leading to strain within relationships, experts have confirmed.

And for some people who struggle to be on time, the reasons may go far beyond poor planning.

Psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert told Fox News Digital that chronic lateness often stems from a combination of psychological patterns and neurobiological factors that people may not realize are influencing them.

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“For some people, it’s personality-driven. They’re distractible, optimistic about how long things take, or simply not tuned into the impact on others,” the New York-based expert said.

For others, the issue stems from neurobiological differences that affect how the brain manages time.

That can make it harder to estimate how long tasks take or to transition from one activity to the next, leading to chronic lateness, according to Alpert.

Impact on relationships

In addition to disrupting schedules, chronic lateness may also strain relationships and create tension.

“Lateness erodes trust. Over time, it sends the message that someone else’s time is less important, even if that’s not the intent,” Alpert noted.

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Lateness can also become an issue in the workplace, where repeated delays can undermine teamwork and harm a person’s reputation.

These patterns are common among people with ADHD, who often experience what is known as “time blindness,” making it difficult to recognize how quickly minutes pass or how long tasks truly take.

“Adding 10 to 15 minutes of buffer between activities reduces the frantic rushing that leads to chronic lateness.”

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ADHD is strongly associated with executive-function difficulties, which are the skills needed to stay organized, plan ahead and focus on essential details, according to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association. 

When these abilities are weaker, it becomes more challenging to gauge time, follow a schedule and meet deadlines, which can impact personal and professional relationships, experts agree.

Underlying patterns

Anxiety, avoidance and perfectionism are patterns that Alpert most often sees in people who tend to run late, he noted.

“Many chronically late individuals don’t intend to be disrespectful. They’re overwhelmed, anxious or trying to squeeze too much into too little time,” he said.

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These emotional patterns often show up in different ways. For some, anxiety can make it difficult to begin even simple tasks, pushing everything behind schedule before the day has even started, according to Alpert.

For others, the struggle happens in the in-between moments. Shifting from one activity to another can feel surprisingly uncomfortable, so they linger longer than intended and lose time without noticing.

Others may get caught up in the details, as perfectionism keeps them adjusting or “fixing one more thing” as the minutes slip away, Alpert said.

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Another major factor, the expert shared, is that many people simply misjudge how long tasks take. Their internal sense of time is often inaccurate, which leads them to assume they can fit far more into a day than is realistically possible.

‘Time audit’

Alpert often recommends that his clients perform a simple “time audit,” where they track how long they think a routine task will take and then time it in real life. This can help them rebuild a more accurate internal clock, he said.

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“Adding 10 to 15 minutes of buffer between activities reduces the frantic rushing that leads to chronic lateness,” he said.

Despite the challenges lateness can create, Alpert said people don’t have to be stuck with these habits forever. With the right support and consistent strategies, meaningful change is possible.

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“Strong routines, alarms, checklists and accurate time estimates compensate for traits that don’t naturally disappear,” he added.

People who find that lateness is affecting their everyday life and relationships may benefit from discussing their concerns with a healthcare provider or mental health professional.

The holidays are known to be a source of stress, between traveling, preparing for family gatherings and indulging in lots of food and drinks.

The uptick of activity can actually put a strain on the heart, a phenomenon known as “holiday heart syndrome.”

Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Jeremy London addressed this elevated risk in a recent Instagram post, sharing how heart attacks consistently rise around the holidays.

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“Every year, like clockwork, we see a spike in heart attacks around Christmas and New Year’s,” the South Carolina-based surgeon said. “In fact, Christmas Eve is the highest-risk day of the year.”

This is due to a shift in behavior, specifically drinking and eating too much, moving less and being stressed out, according to London. “Emotional stress, financial stress, the increased pace of the holidays, increased obligations,” he listed.

Cold weather also causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), according to London, which increases the risk of plaque rupture and the potential for heart attack.

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Dr. Glenn Hirsch, chief of the division of cardiology at National Jewish Health in New York, noted in an interview with Fox News Digital that holiday heart syndrome typically refers to the onset of an abnormal heart rhythm, or atrial fibrillation.

This can happen after an episode of binge-drinking alcohol, Hirsch said, which can be exacerbated by holiday celebrations.

“It’s often a combination of overdoing the alcohol intake along with high salt intake and large meals that can trigger it,” he said. “Adding travel, stress and less sleep, and it lowers the threshold to go into that rhythm.”

The biggest risk related to atrial fibrillation, according to Hirsch, is stroke and other complications from blood clots. Untreated atrial fibrillation can lead to heart failure after a long period of time.

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“The risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age, but also underlying cardiovascular disease risk factors increase the risk, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea and chronic kidney disease,” he added.

Preventing a holiday heart event

Holiday heart syndrome is preventable, as Hirsch reminds people that “moderation is key” when celebrating.

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The expert recommends avoiding binge-drinking, overeating (especially salty foods) and dehydration, while managing stress levels and prioritizing adequate sleep.

“Don’t forget to exercise,” he added. “Even getting in at least 5,000 to 10,000 steps during the holiday can help lower risk, [while] also burning some of the additional calories we are often consuming around the holidays.”

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London agreed, stating in his video that “movement is medicine” and encouraging people to get out and move every day.

It’s also important to stay on schedule with any prescribed medications, London emphasized. He encourages setting reminder alerts, even during the holiday break.

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“Prioritize sleep and mindfulness,” he added. “Take care of yourself during this stressful time.”

London also warned that many people delay having certain health concerns checked out until after the holidays, further worsening these conditions.

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“Don’t ignore your symptoms,” he advised. “If you don’t feel right, respond.”

Flu season is among us, and a new strain has emerged as a major threat.

Influenza A H3N2, or the subclade K variant, has been detected as the culprit in rising global cases, including in the U.S.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice at Boston’s Northeastern University, shared details on the early severity of this emerging strain.

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“It’s becoming evident that this is a pretty severe variant of the flu,” he said. “Certainly in other parts of the world where this variant has been prevalent, it’s caused some severe illness, and we’re seeing an aggressive flu season already.”

The variant seems to differ from prior strains of the flu, with heightened versions of typical symptoms like fever, chills, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat and runny nose.

Subclade K is the “perfect storm” for an aggressive flu season, Maniar suggested, as vaccination rates overall are down and this year’s flu vaccine does not address this specific strain.

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“The vaccine is very important to get, but because it’s not perfectly aligned with this variant, I think that’s also contributing to some degree to the severity of cases we’re seeing,” he said. “We’re going in [to this flu season] with lower vaccination rates and a variant that in itself seems to be more aggressive.”

“There’s a lot of concern that this could be a particularly difficult flu season, both in terms of the total number of cases [and] the severity of those cases.”

Because subclade K is “quite different” from prior variants, Maniar said there is less natural immunity at the community level, further increasing the risk of spread and severity.

Those who are unvaccinated are also at risk of experiencing more severe symptoms, as well as a higher risk of hospitalization, the doctor emphasized.

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In addition to getting vaccinated, the doctor recommends washing hands frequently and properly. While the flu can spread via airborne transmission, a variety of other illnesses, like norovirus, can stick to surfaces for up to two weeks, he added.

The holiday season also boosts the risk of infection, as gatherings, large events, and packed planes, trains and buses can expose people to others who are sick.

Those who are not feeling well or exhibiting symptoms should “please stay home,” Maniar advised — “especially if you think you are in that contagious period of the flu or any of these other illnesses that we’re seeing … whether it’s norovirus or COVID or RSV.”

“If you’re not feeling well, stay home. That’s a great way to recover faster and to ensure that you’re not going to get others around you sick.”

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For those who are unsure of their health status or diagnosis, Maniar recommends seeing a healthcare provider to get tested. Some providers may be able to prescribe medication to reduce the severity and duration of the illness.

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“It’s important that everyone stays vigilant and tries to take care of themselves and their families,” he added.