College students — or any student in general, rather — will always joke around about how studying is about to kill them. What we don’t realize, though, is that death and excessive studying could actually have a correlation after all. With finals in full swing for many students, this article couldn’t be any more appropriate.
Editor’s note: Correlation does not equal causation.
1. Exhibit A: William Thornton Parker, Jr.
Yes, this is the name of an actual Harvard Law student who literally died from studying too much. More precisely, he died as a result of “abscess on the brain, a result of overstudy” in 1900. Thought this could actually never happen? Better be careful with your words next time.
2. Stress and Tension
Overstudying in general can lead to excess and unwanted amounts of stress and tension that can actually burn you out. Think again next time when you decide to cram in those extra 10 vocabulary words for that Biology exam.
3. Future Health Problems
Besides studying, working in general — including in an office space — can also increase risks for future health issues. An extra hour of work a day can increase your chances of suffering from a stroke over the next eight years by a whole 10%. You could, of course, also develop heart disease. Better close that book and get an extra hour of sleep instead.
4. Sitting
Yes, sitting can actually kill — at least according to 47 studies of sedentary behavior recorded by Toronto researchers. Even with exercise, sitting outweighs the benefits that come from remaining active. Sedentary behavior leads to cardiovascular issues, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Prolonged sitting (8-12 hours or more a day) increases risk for developing Type 2 diabetes by 90%. In fact, physical inactivity is the fourth-leading risk factor for death in all people around the world. Guess it’s time to take that walk that you’ve been avoiding.
5. Homework Harms
A study performed by a Stanford researcher that was published in the Journal of Experimental Education found that students who completed 3.1 hours of homework per night were more susceptible to developing health problems, depression, sleep deprivation and a lack of balance in their lives. Professors better watch out with their homework assignments before they become the cause of deaths on campus.
All in all, keep in mind that excess studying can actually produce detrimental effects on the body. Also remember to knock on wood next time you make a joke about dying from overstudying because you can never be too careful.
