Jackie Chan is one of the most productive actors both in the local and international arena. He has more than 150 movies under his belt, and he performs all of his stunts that require extreme strength, endurance, and agility.
While he regularly trains and keeps his body in tip-top shape, the actor also never goes on a diet. It can be a good thing because he does not starve himself, but the action legend has one habit that might affect his health in a negative way.
Jackie Chan’s Bad Sleeping Habit Can Ruin His Health And Career
During his interview with WebMD, Rush Hour star Jackie Chan answered some of the most important questions about his health and well-being as a stuntman. He claimed that his best habit when it comes to taking care of himself was exercising, but for his worst habit, he said:
“I hate to rest. It doesn’t affect me at all, though. I usually take a power nap, and my energy is back.”
While Chan has become the epitome of a superhuman because of his martial arts skills, it is quite detrimental to disregard sleep for the sake of productivity. Taking care of oneself is also giving the body time to heal and repair damaged tissues, muscles, and organs. While napping is also a good practice, our body needs a full rest to completely restore energy.
Medical practitioners have claimed that 7 to 8 hours of sleep is the ideal amount of time the body needs to recharge. It is also imperative that humans sleep in a relaxed environment without any distractions. In a report from Sin Chew Daily via The Star, Chan said he prefers resting at studios:
“It is so fun at the studio. Whenever I sleep in my own room, usually no one disturbs me. Going home after work is so boring. If you ask me to go to sleep immediately, I will ruminate when the lights are off. That is why I am happiest when I am working.”
Chan’s passion for making movies is undeniable, but his bad sleeping habit is quite risky and may even affect his career in the long run.
Proper Rest And Sleep Could Have Helped Treat Jackie Chan’s Injuries
Jackie Chan has been transparent about the injuries he has sustained over the years of filmmaking and performing stunts. From countless surgeries to injections, he has acknowledged his body is not the same anymore via Dimsum Daily Hong Kong:
“I know that one day I will end up in a wheelchair or using crutches because even now, after receiving closed-door injections, my thighs still hurt from time to time, and my shoulders and waist as well. Maybe the effect of the medication is wearing off.”
While the 69-year-old action star admitted he is afraid of injections, he believes this is the “fate of martial arts masters.” Indeed, a lot of this could have been prevented had the actor taken time to properly rest and let his body heal from its own damage.
Chan may not be making action films nowadays because of his age and injuries, but it’s also a good thing for him so he could properly attend to his health which he took for granted for many years.