Karoshi: The new American health threat

Feeling tired or unwell? Maybe you are experiencing the effects of karoshi. No, it’s not the stomach flu due to a plate of bad sushi, it something even more evil and sinister. The Japanese call being worked to death–karoshi. A few too many Americans know exactly what that means. Little vacation time, long hours, sleepless nights, and a whole lot of work piled up in front of us. Hmm, that’s the reason psychologists say that the average adult is perpetually stressed out.

It’s sad news, but it’s not only the adults who are stressed and tired. American teenagers are about the “sleepiest” demographic group on the planet. Recent studies site that 28 percent of teens fall asleep in class once a week and a whopping 38 percent fall asleep while doing homework or miss school because they are tired. One‑half of teenagers are worn out. What the heck is happening here? Youth is supposed to be the time of boundless energy.

Yikes, American adults and kids are too tired. Maybe we all need to slow down, demand those four weeks of vacation time just like those clever Europeans. They seem to be having all of the fun. On a weekly basis, we slave at an average of fifty hours, while the French actually refuse to work one minute over thirty‑five hours. Oui, I could learn to love those hours.

A woman in Cave Creek e‑mailed that she is “sick and tired” of being a walking zombie and has “given notice” to her husband and kids that “things are going to change.” More spa treatments, massages, candle‑lit dinners, lack of interrupted quiet time, less phone calls, and more yoga is her new game plan, she claimed. Good luck! I wish her well. Sounds like the perfect way to fight karoshi.

Actually, it sounds like such a fantasy that I couldn’t stop laughing when I read it. I can see me asserting myself to my husband and co‑workers, announcing with great gusto that the “new me” will be going to the spa quite a bit. That’s right, when all else fails, go get a seaweed wrap and a honey facial. Feeling rushed? Slow down and light a candle. Phone ringing? Don’t disturb my meditation. Dogs need to go out? Too bad, don’t disturb my quiet time.

Perhaps when you get home from work, rather than say hello to those you love, you could shout, “don’t come around me with your hungry faces until I take my nap.” This could possibly be the key to healthy living. One woman from Anthem e‑mailed to say that since she commutes to and from work so far, she has “boycotted” cooking for her family during the weekdays and it has “restored” her sanity.

Ha, this is one of my (many) problems. I haven’t tried the “boycott” method of reducing stress. My husband, Doug, says I shouldn’t try it, because he already does plenty of domestic chores and doesn’t need me to boycott anything. I tried to explain to him that I am only searching for ways to combat karoshi. Aren’t a few missed meals worth a longer life?  

Speaking of a longer life, only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older. Physicians claim that in order to accomplish this feat, it is not simply about what we eat, drink or how much we exercise, but more about what we do with our lives. The clinical evidence supporting longevity seems to lie in balance and moderation. Don’t do too much of anything and plan on a really long retirement. No excesses of any kind.

Don’t get too tired, too stressed, or too overworked. Definitely don’t cook, eat or drink too much. Don’t answer too many phone calls (especially while driving). Oh, and next time your boss (or spouse) places some impossible demand on you, just say, “No.” (I’ll try this technique out, Dear Readers, and report back to you). Remember, we’re fighting for our very lives here. Karoshi is going to kill us if we don’t change our ways.

Living to work? Stop it right now! Work to live! Viva la France! Light a candle, get to the spa. Karoshi? Don’t worry about it, order some sushi instead.