Science shows that people who spend the most time watching television are the least happy in the long run. A new study looking at how our habits affect our moods came to the conclusion that happy people tend to spend more time socializing with family and friends, exercising, and reading — but tend to spend less time watching television. It’s not that those who described themselves as happy didn’t watch TV, but they did less of it than did unhappy people. Swap some of your TV time for music, reading, exercise and socializing. Your heart will be grateful.
Science shows that people who spend the most time watching television are the least happy in the long run. A new study looking at how our habits affect our moods came to the conclusion that happy people tend to spend more time socializing with family and friends, exercising, and reading — but tend to spend less time watching television. It’s not that those who described themselves as happy didn’t watch TV, but they did less of it than did unhappy people. Because this was just an observational study, we can’t say which came first: do unhappy people watch more TV, or does too much TV make you unhappy? Still, even if we don’t know for sure that turning off the TV will make you happier, it seems like a pretty smart move if you are trying to get healthier.
On the other hand, listening to enjoyable and relaxing music may be a great habit for cultivating better cardiovascular health. Recently, unique research presented by Dr. Michael Miller at the American Heart Association 2008 Scientific Sessions showed that, by arousing positive emotions, joyful music has a favorable effect on the health of arteries. Mental stress causes the blood vessels to constrict, thereby reducing blood flow to vital organs. In this study, volunteers listened to 30 minutes of music they had previously chosen as fun and pleasant. The improvement in arterial blood flow with enjoyable music was about the same as that noted with cardioexercise or statin (cholesterol-lowering) medications, and greater than the benefits noted with meditation. Music, like laughter, can evoke positive feelings that offset the negative stresses of everyday life. A perfect way to double your heart health benefits is to exercise while you are listening to uplifting and energizing music.
The Heart and Soul Study, which followed 1,000 people with coronary heart disease, found that depression worsens cardiovascular health mostly because of the self-defeating health behaviors that are typically associated with a depressed mood. In other words, bad habits that depression tends to promote such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking, social isolation, and not taking prescription medications, increase cardiac risk more than any complex biological processes like hormonal disturbances or worsening levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, or glucose.
Bottom line: staying active socially, physically, and intellectually, will help to keep you happier and healthier. Swap some of your TV time for music, reading, exercise and socializing. Your heart will be grateful.
Heart Institute Research Reveals Risks for Athletes
You might think that highly trained athletes would be the least likely to be at risk for sudden cardiac death, but research conducted at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute shows that may not be the case. And to some degree, race can influence the likelihood of cardiac abnormalities.
Physicians Strive to Prevent Sudden Death in Athletes
As the father of four active, healthy children, I can only imagine how devastating it would be for one of them to die suddenly from a heart ailment. And yet, a little more than a year ago, my good friend and mentor Bob Conn, went through just such a tragedy when his 22-year-old grandson, Jordan Mann, died suddenly.
10 Tips for Staying Lean Through the Holiday Season
The holiday season may be hazardous to your health.Studies show that Americans typically gain about seven pounds over the holiday season each year, and some of it stays on permanently despite the New Year's resolutions to get it off. Even more worrisome are reports showing increased risks of heart attack, dangerous cardiac rhythms, and even death during the holidays. Emotional stress, depression, over-eating, not enough exercise, and too much salt and alcohol are all likely to be playing a role. Make sure you and your family stay healthy and happy this year by following these 10 rules for safely navigating the holiday hazards.
