REAL LIFE NEWS: DO YOU STOP BREATHING WHEN YOU TYPE?
by Hazed
Bogus health scare of the week comes courtesy of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, which specialises in telling us about all the things that are bad for us (as well as all the miracle cures to make us better).
They report on something called “email apnoea” and claim that 80% of people stop breathing properly when they are typing. It’s complete poppycock but worth reading about to marvel at the ridiculousness of it all.
“Sleep apnoea” is a well-known medical condition in which a person’s airways close up during sleep which stops them from breathing. The lack of oxygen causes the sufferer to come out of a deep sleep, which restores the normal breathing; this constant interruption to sleep can leave people very tired and causes other nasty health problems.
So what’s “email apnoea”, then? Apparently, it’s when you get so engrossed in the words you are typing that you stop breathing. The term was first introduced by an executive working at Apple, Linda Stone. She says that during typing the body can go into “fight or flight” mode which results in holding the breath, shallow breathing or hyperventilation. This in turn can trigger the sympathetic nervous system which causes the pupils to dilate, increases heart palpitations, opens up blood vessels in the face and leads to restless legs and excessive sweating… among a long list of symptoms I can’t be bothered to type – I might stop breathing myself!
If you’re worried you might suffer from this terrible, terrible condition, don’t panic. Ms Stone offers some advice on how to deal with the scourge of email apnoea. She says you should monitor your breathing, try to become better aware of anxious feelings and even use a heart-rate monitor.
What a load of tosh!
