Being bored might make life seem longer but it can actually shorten it in the long run. Researchers at University College London have been monitoring over 7,000 civil servants over 25 years as part of a long-term study of lifestyle and health. The civil servants who were aged between 35 and 55 at the start of the study were interviewed about their levels of boredom in the mid 1980s. Those with the highest levels of boredom were most likely to have died by the end of the study, perhaps because they had turned to drink, drugs or smoking to alleviate their boredom. Women, younger employees and those with menial jobs were all more likely to be bored at work.
You can find out more about this study at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7187812/You-really-can-be-bored-to-death-study-shows.html
-
Posts
2 comments:
Sounds like news 'filler' this. Where is the real evidence? People who live at break neck speed also drink and smoke and do unhealthy things....and how come the only group measured was civil servants? To be valid, you would have to prove the idea in other fields of endeavour to have something to measure against...wow, what a boring response! ha ha. Interesting article though, i especially like the guy's salvo at the end telling everyone not to be so self-obsessed. Perhaps selfishness is an even bigger killer. That would mean i've only got a few months left.
Thanks Alex - yes I take your point but this is a big study and University College London are a good university so I guess there must be some validity to it although you would probably have to be a statistician to pick the bones out of it thoroughly. But - to quote Homer Simpson 'you can' indeed 'prove anything with evidence.'!
Post a Comment