The benefits advertised by this Stair Master ad, with one exception, are mostly benefits that can be acquired from any form of cardiovascular exercise: lose weight and keep it off, reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your cholesterol level, and improve your immune system. Today, just about anyone who wants to improve these conditions knows that they need to exercise. There is research that provides evidence of the benefits of exercise. Exercise is being prescribed for diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis. If effect, exercise is the medicine (Elrick, 1996), not the equipment. In some cases, exercise is believed to be better than any medication. Therefore, the health benefits made by the Stair Master ad, which are cited above, are supported by research. However, one can reap these benefits from any form of cardiovascular exercise (walking, running, cycling, or swimming) that is less expensive and readily available (Elrick, 1996). The Stair Master is not exclusive for preventing these diseases. The Stair Master ad states that using this equipment will also reduce stress and help you sleep better. Again, the Stair Master is not exclusive. It is aerobic exercise, not the equipment, that is responsible for burning stress chemicals, that weaken the immune system, out of our system, and relieves stress by releasing endorphines (Rosenhan & Seligman, 1995). The evidence on exercise improving sleep is less consistent.It is normally assumed that because exercise will fatigue the body, it will enhance sleep. However, factors influencing sleep are more than the exercise itself. It is recommended that exercise be performed in bright outdoor light, different times of the day work for different individuals, and that exercise should last for at least one hour (Youngstedt, 1997). Therefore, this benefit would not be achieved with the 20 minutes recommended on the Stair Master ad....
