[Warning!] How Watching TV Impacts Your Heart Disease Risk

You know that sitting too much is bad for your health.

Worse than that, it can kill you.

See, previous research has found that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of dying early.

And that’s bad enough.

But now, a new study has shown that watching TV while you’re sitting can take things from bad to worse.

We all need to find ways to relax and destress.

But watching TV isn’t the way to do it.

This study followed 500,000 people from 40-69 years old for 12 years. Although none of the participants had heart disease at the start of the study, the researchers determined their risk of developing coronary heart disease based on genetic risk.

As part of the study, the participants self-reported their TV and computer use.

The results were pretty scary for the average American.

Those who watch four or more hours of TV had the greatest risk.

Those who watch 2-3 hour per day had a six percent lower rate compared to the boob-tubers.

And those who watched less than an hour had a 16 percent lower rate.

But even those who watched just one hour of TV per day had an increased risk of developing heart disease regardless of their genetic risk factors.

This study didn’t look into why this connection was there, but I have a few ideas.

For starters, as I mentioned earlier, the more TV you’re watching, the less you’re moving. And sedentary lifestyles are known to increase the risk of disease and early death.

It could also be because people tend to watch more TV in the evenings after dinner, which could increase the levels of glucose and lipids in your bloodstream.

Planting yourself in front of the television in the evenings also increases your exposure to blue light, which wreaks havoc on your circadian rhythm, your hormones, and your metabolism.

This doesn’t mean you can’t watch TV.

But if you’ve found that it’s become your primary evening activity (or should I say “inactivity”), then it’s time for a change.

After dinner, go for a walk or visit a friend.

Even if you’re relaxing on your patio drinking your favorite wine, you’ll be getting plenty of health benefits, as opposed to the risks associated with the idiot box.

P.S. I recently wrote about how sitting too much, and watching TV in bed, could increase your risk of cancer. Click here to find out how.