Zhang Linghe opens up about health troubles, reveals he gets anxious without work: ‘If I stop, I don’t know what to do’, Entertainment News

While his career continues its ascent, Zhang Linghe’s health seems to be lagging behind.

In recent episodes of Chinese reality show Our Dormitories.Back To Heart, the actor spoke about the state of his health, revealing that he has been suffering from multiple ailments.

After shooting to immense global fame for his role as marquis Xie Zheng in the popular drama series Pursuit of Jade in March, the 28-year-old recently wrapped up filming for the period drama The Road to Glory and is currently filming the mystery reality show The Truth season four.

Chatting with host-actress Shen Mengchen about work fatigue and the prospect of taking a break, Linghe admitted: “I used to have such thoughts and I really did stop working. But I would get anxious. I’m very aware of what state I’d be in if I stopped working.

“While it’s important to get adequate rest, it can’t be for too long. Otherwise, if I stop, I don’t know what to do. Idling around every day is also frustrating.”

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He also shared that although he recently gained weight, he had lost a total of 20 to 25 kilograms since graduating from university and joining showbiz in 2020. Most strikingly, his weight had dropped to 66kg during the New Year’s Eve period for a role in an unspecified project.

Linghe stands at 1.9m, which means that he was considered underweight based on his body mass index (BMI). He stated during the episode that he is currently close to 70 kilograms since gradually eating more after the conclusion of the project.

Knee injury, insomnia, allergies

In April, fans were concerned when a video showed him limping upon exiting a car to film The Road to Glory. In another video, Linghe was seen unable to get up from the ground and had to be assisted by a crew member.

His agency took to Weibo then to address the videos, clarifying he “experienced mild hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) while filming a fight scene due to intense physical exertion and insufficient sugar intake”.

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They said that upon recovery, Linghe showed “no obvious discomfort”. He insisted on completing the day’s filming as planned and was later diagnosed with a muscle sprain.

He explained in the Our Dormitories that he injured his knee recently and couldn’t bend it fully and went for acupuncture treatment.

Linghe also lamented his struggles with insomnia. “I’m able to asleep now after doomscrolling on my phone in bed. I used to have to force myself to stay awake and get tired, and I’d just lie there doing nothing. But in the end, I still couldn’t fall asleep.”

At one point, he slept for less than 20 hours within a week.

In another segment, he revealed that a recent medical checkup found that with the changes to his immune system, he is now allergic to eggs, wheat, and other fermented foods, and cannot consume cakes and beer.

The allergies manifest in physical symptoms like rhinitis and rashes, he added.

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With his busy schedule on set, he spoke about relying on coffee to power him through the day. However, it has since come to the extent where he has been advised by doctors to reduce his caffeine intake.

“I do drink too much coffee and sometimes I get heart palpitations,” he shared. “The coffee I drink is really strong Americanos – three of four espresso shots in a cup and I drink one or two cups every morning. And I’m used to drinking it on an empty stomach. It’s become such a habit, I can’t even eat anything without having coffee first.”

He stated that he is gradually reducing his intake.

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kristy.chua@asiaone.com

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