There are a number of things that could kill you in under an hour. From poisonous plants to venomous vipers, there are a variety of deadly items in our everyday lives. In this video from All Time 10s, you will learn about ten terrifying things that will kill you in under an hour, including being a couch potato, falling out of bed and eating too much salt.
1. Poisonous Plants
While many plants have evolved to protect themselves from predators with thorns, spines and other physical defences, others contain poisonous chemicals and toxins that can snuff out an unlucky herbivore. The toxins in these plants can be concentrated in seeds, leaves or roots and can kill within hours or days.
This woody vine contains aconitine neurotoxins and cardiotoxins that cause gastrointestinal complications, weakness, tremors, heart and lung paralysis, coma, and death. It’s also a popular suicide plant in the tropics.
Also known as poison ivy, this shrub can be found in backyards and parks across the US. Its irritant sap causes a painful rash in anyone who brushes against it or touches it. It can also lead to breathing problems or a deadly allergic reaction. If you’re stung, wash the affected area immediately and seek medical attention.
3. Venomous Vipers
Sadly, vipers are responsible for many snakebite deaths every year, especially in developing countries where antivenom is not easily available. Victims of snake bites need to be carefully inspected by an expert and treated in hospital unless the snake has been positively identified as nonvenomous.
Those with a venomous bite will suffer from pain, swelling, drops in blood pressure and heart rate and difficulties in bleeding. If untreated, the victim can die in just over an hour. Venomous vipers belong to the subfamily Viperinae and can be found all over the world. Their distinguishing features include keeled scales, hinged fangs that can tuck into the mouth and a strong ability to camouflage themselves. They are also obligate carnivores and prey on rodents, birds, bats, lizards and frogs. There are a number of different viper species, ranging from the slender, arboreal spiny bush viper to the fat, terrestrial gaboon viper.
5. Being a Couch Potato
Whether it’s your one day off or you just want to flee all intellectual and physical demands for a while, being a couch potato is an excellent way to relax. You can sit back and watch your favorite show, catch up on your social media feeds or just surf the internet.
However, living the life of a couch potato can be harmful to your health. In addition to gaining weight, sitting too much can cause high blood sugar and cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
So, next time you’re thinking of being a couch potato, make sure you’ve got all the necessary distractions ready: a good supply of snacks, celebrity magazines, handheld video games machines and your iPad or laptop for web surfing. You can also bribe your sibling or friend to take care of the lawn or empty the garbage bin for you.
6. Falling Out of Bed
Falling out of bed is a very serious issue that can result in severe injuries. This is especially true if the person falls onto a hard surface such as the floor. Injuries can range from minor bruises to concussions and broken bones. In extreme cases, falling out of bed can lead to death.
Elderly people are more prone to falling out of bed because of their reduced mobility and strength. They may also experience sleepwalking or have a medical condition that affects their balance.
Falling out of bed can be a terrifying experience, but it is important to remain calm and assess the situation before acting. It is also a good idea to install bed rails and remove items that could cause someone to trip or fall. Spiritually, falling out of bed can be a sign that it is time to trust your intuition and take a leap of faith.
7. Too Much Salt
It’s well known that too much salt can raise blood pressure and lead to heart disease and premature death. But many people don’t know just how dangerous it is.
The short term side effects of too much salt include swollen hands and feet, water retention, and feeling excessively thirsty. However, these symptoms generally pass as the body rids itself of the excess sodium.
Occasionally, some people can overdose on salt in a very short amount of time. This is usually the result of a dare (search YouTube for “eat salt challenge”). A developmentally delayed man once ate a shaker of table salt on a dare and died as a result.
Fatal salt overdoses are extremely rare and require ingesting a very large amount of sodium at once. Even still, it’s easy to eat too much salt if you eat a lot of processed foods.
8. Soda
It’s no secret that soda, whether it’s diet or not, is bad for you. In fact, a recent study linked both regular and diet soda to an increased risk of death.
Not only is soda loaded with sugar, acids and preservatives that are downright unhealthy for the body, but drinking too much of it can cause a variety of problems in the mouth as well, including xerostomia, aphthous ulcers, chelitis, bruxism and even bone loss.
Plus, the carbonation in soda can draw calcium from bones over time, leading to osteoporosis. So the next time you pick up a can of Coke, remember that it could actually kill you in under an hour. (As long as you’re not drinking a gallon of it, that is.) Watch the video above from All Time 10s to learn more.
10. Lethal Laughter
Laughter is good for your health, but laughing too hard can be deadly. It can cause a ruptured brain aneurysm, cardiac arrest, a collapsed lung or a strangulated hernia. Laughing also increases the pressure in your head, which can cause problems with oxygen flow to your brain.
It is very rare to die from laughing, but it can happen. It usually happens to people who already have a serious medical condition. For example, a bricklayer named Alex Mitchell died after laughing at a television show. He suffered heart failure and died a few hours later.
Some people will erupt into a fit of laughter as their first sign of a stroke or a seizure. This is known as gelastic seizures and can be the result of various conditions such as tuberous sclerosis, hydrocephalus or even a brain tumor.