Can watching television be hard on your body and health?

Here is a study by researchers in Australia:

They found that watching television may be hazardous to your health. The report, published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, says that every hour of television, after the age of 25, shortens the viewer’s life expectancy by 22 minutes. Adults who watch six hours a day may be cutting almost five years off their lives. If the data are confirmed and show “a causal association, TV viewing is a public health problem comparable in size to established behavioral risk factors,” the researchers wrote. 

The big problem with television watching, the researchers say, is its sedentary nature. People do not tend to watch television while working out. They do it from the sofa and often times are eating when doing so. The data were adjusted to reflect differences in the subjects’ age, waist circumference, alcohol intake and other factors. Is there a difference with different programming? Is reality television more or less lethal than the news, for example? If I spend my time watching “Jersey Shore,” am I more likely to die of cancer or some other disease? 

Some television shows incite violence but so do other types of entertainment:

Example: Two British men were sentenced to four years in prison each after being found guilty of inciting violence via Facebook.  Facebook live has shown people killing and taping individuals overdose on Heroin without calling 911. “We may wonder why Western leaders, on the one hand, tend to indiscriminately accuse other nations of monitoring, but on the other take for granted their steps to monitor and control the Internet,” Xinhua said. “For the benefit of the general public, proper Web monitoring is legitimate and necessary.” We are guessing the British measures will stop short of the approach in China, where a Google search for, say, “Tiananmen Square protests” is likely to result in a so-called 404 error. 

Still, the sentences handed down to the would-be Facebook rioters suggest that a considered response is not the order of the day. Reading a book, engaging in an activity is better for your health and gives you more of a sense of accomplishment.  Don't waste your brain cells watching mindless television for hours on end. 

Also, when we are watching television, focusing hours on social media cites, our brain is constantly putting out dopamine when we are watching something stimulating.  This can become addictive and when we are not getting our dopamine dosage, we become depressed.  Seratonin is produced when going outside, exercising and having meaningful conversations.  

Step away from the devices and you may notice a better mood, sleep and overall quality of life!

Dr. Amie Gregory, DC, CCEP, ANF is an expert at chiropractic wellness.  She offers lifestyle advice to help you stay healthy and vibrant.  Contact our San Francisco, CA chiropractic office or San Carlos, CA chiropractic office today!

References: In an article entitled: Hazards Lurk Between TV and Sofa by Eric Pfanner: Published in New York Times: August 21, 2011