Get Physical

My recent Time - The Hidden Cost post and others, have pointed out the huge, often ignored, cost of spending hours trading in-play. The latest post from author James Butler (aka Betfair Pro Trader) highlights an even less often considered cost of spending your life in front of a PC, which is the cost to your health.

While James's focus is on his eyes, there are other health considerations when you spend all day trading, not least the effect of stress on the body. I imagine the impact on eyesight isn't a concern solely for full-time pro traders, but for many of us who spend time in our regular jobs looking at pixels on a screen. At 50, the need for glasses is quite normal, but workplace safety guidelines encourage regularly stepping away and looking out of the window which might not be so easy to schedule during an in-play event.

The fact that traders tend to be male is another issue, because men are well known to neglect their health, but if you are over 50, it really is smart to get an annual physical.

If I was to pick one issue above all others, I would say obesity and we should do much more about alerting men to the dangers of being overweight. Men are generally in poorer health, he says, with a worse diet. They are more likely to smoke and be alcoholics.

How rude! But I guess sitting in a chair all day isn't conducive to losing weight. I'm being slightly biased here, but if you smoke, you're an idiot, and if you drink, well that's just being sociable and relieving stress. It's good for you, at least in my opinion - Mrs. Cassini says I am 'rationalising'.

As for the diet, here's where married men have an edge, our wives force us to eat rabbit food and fruit, at least once in a while.

So to take James's advice one step further - and yes, do get your eyes checked, but also go to the doctor, get a physical, ("three inches up is better than six feet under"), get your numbers (weight, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, pulse etc.), lie about how much you drink and how often (I assume they at least double what you tell them anyway), and at least think about acting on any suggestions he (or she) may have for you. It could save your life.