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January 8, 2006
QUIET!!!!!! (please)
Here's an article I've been mulling over for several days. An increased risk of heart attack due to noisy environments could be a problem for me, as I work in a noisy press shop. (I frequently compare it to listening to a percussion band warming up, each machine has it's own rhythm, and they never quite seem to get it together.) Of course, I wear the mandated hearing protection, but even still, I'm constantly surrounded by noise.
But for some reason, I have a hard time believing it is noise alone which causes increased risk of heart attack. I spend ten hours a night observing the behaviors of my co-workers, and quite frankly, a lot of them are heart attacks looking for a place to happen. Their diets consist mostly of whatever unhealthy combinations of carbohydrate, fat and artificial preservatives are available from the vending machines. It's entirely possible some of them haven't eaten fresh produce since Ronald Reagan was president. A majority of my co-workers smoke, and probably consider a pack-a-day habit moderation. They shun preventive medicine, use recreational drugs, drink to excess, and the favorite stress-reduction technique involves foul language and obscene gestures (never at me, mind you, I'm a lady and this IS the south after all). Few of them believe in personal responsibility, long-term planning, goal setting, problem solving or considering the consequences of actions. If pressed on the point, most of them would likely reply with "Ya gotta die of somethin'", "Ya cain't live forever" or a similar variation.
I invite the researchers to prove me wrong, but until they do, I'm tellin' ya, it's not the noise.
Posted by Anna at January 8, 2006 7:27 PM