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Could Xmas shopping cripple you?

Christmas Shopping Lights

The worry of finding presents for all your friends and family is bad enough, but experts warn Christmas shopping could also be damaging your health.

Fighting through crowds of shoppers to pick up perfect gifts is pushing up your blood pressure – sometimes to dangerous levels.

High blood pressure can lead to hypertension, which increases your risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney problems.

Even low levels of hypertension have been linked to panic attacks and migraines – common side effects of Christmas shopping!

Researchers from the University of East London monitored 30 men and women while they were asked to shop for a variety of gifts in one hour and 15 minutes.

Their findings revealed that heart rates increased by an average of 10 per cent, while blood pressure rose to dangerous levels in 50 per cent of the shoppers.

The idea that women enjoy shopping was also revealed to be a myth, as men felt twice as stressed after the exercise, but women were almost three times as stressed.

Moneysupermarket Shopping, who conducted the survey, said the findings mirrored to the site's own evidence that more of us are choosing to browse the internet for gifts, rather than the High Street.

 

READ MORE HEALTH NEWS STORIES HERE!

Friday 21 November 2008


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I can totally believe this. I hate having to push through crowds, even when I'm not desperate for something. So it's even worse when you're really needing to find something! Crowds of people all stressed out is so much worse as well, if only we could all chill out.
Comment by Becca on November 20 13:29

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