It's a common complaint: 'There go a few hours of my life I'll never get back." This lament is often heard from someone who just wasted an evening watching a boring film or a dull football match. But that saying may be closer to the truth than one might think.
A new study claims that watching too much television can actually shorten your life. The report, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, dramatically placed lazing about in front of our screens "in the same ballpark as smoking and obesity". Each hour of TV watched after age 25 shortens one's lifespan by 22 minutes, the study found.
"While smoking rates are declining, watching TV is not, which has implications at a population level," said Dr Lennert Veerman of the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland, where the research was carried out.
By these calculations, watching every match of the last World Cup would have taken off a day and a half off your life. That's without extra time and penalties. And if you're a fan of DVD boxed sets, then a rethink of your lifestyle is probably a good idea.
Of course, the whole thing could just be scaremongering nonsense. After all, surely a watching hours and hours of television is just a symptom, not a cause of, of an already lazy lifestyle.
Scientists: always taking the fun out of everything.
England-South Africa Test series
1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank
Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night
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No limit on how many times you can charge
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
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