We all know stress kills. Of course the case could be made that with today’s economy, job uncertainty and political bickering going on — to say nothing of the ongoing threat of nuclear annihilation — it’s a surprise anyone over the age of 30 is alive. Those under 30 are still too optimistic about the future to realize that it’s so bad.
So what’s a person supposed to do to relieve stress? After a tough day at the office or searching for a job most people like to sit down at the TV and “veg out.”
Bad idea. A new Australian study — and we all know those Aussies are on top of these things — has concluded that every hour spent sitting idle in front of a TV increases by 18 percent the risk of premature death from heart disease. In case you’re interested, Australians spend about three hours a day watching TV; Americans — and you gotta wonder where these stressed out folks find the time — spend about eight hours.
The good news-bad news thing about this report is that even if you’re not watching TV, it’s likely that you’re doing just as much damage to yourself if you turn off the TV and head back to the home office and sit in front of your computer answering e-mail and writing memos, because prolonged inactivity can raise blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
The fact is vegetables don’t get heart disease — that we know of — because vegetables don’t have hearts. Humans, therefore, can’t be vegetables.
Being the self-serving type I am, I tend to think it’s not the television that’s the problem — it’s what you’re watching. Jerry Springer is bad for the digestive system; 24 pumps too much adrenaline through your body; sports are addictive and often include snacks and beverages that aren’t good for you as well as shouting and higher blood pressure; and, of course, the news is … well the news is bad for your mental health. It’s generally either depressing or annoying, depending on your take on the talking heads.
You know what my solution is: interactive TV. Make a little effort to do more with your TV. Dig deeper into those programs, find more information, and exercise your mind and your fingers. People who’ve felt my vise-like handshake know that my fingers have been tuned like a Ferrari’s engine before the Grand Prix. That comes from all the effort I put into watching television interactively and that sort of effort can only lead to better things for the rest of the body.
Imagine if TV manufacturers included Wii-like motion remotes. You could get a lot of exercise and stress relief from throwing tomatoes at the cast of Jersey Shore, or those bank executives who are spending bail-out money on huge bonuses for themselves. Line up behind the plate and take your own swing at a Tim Lincecum fastball, or hit one off the tee at Pebble Beach. Now if we can only figure out how to prevent the inevitable abuse of finger steroids.
