Sitting Your Way to an Early Grave?

A new study has found a direct correlation to the amount that a person sits through the day and their lifespan. Researchers at Louisiana's Ochsner Health System analyzed the health and activity of 120,000 people from 1993 to 2006.
Sedentary was considered sitting 6 plus hours per day versus less than 3 hours per day. Sedentary women were 37% higher risk of death over the 14 year span. Sedentary men showed a 17% increase.

Exercise showed some extension of their lifespan but did not bring it down to the level of the 3 hours or less of sitting. Adjustments were made for smokers and body mass index.

Jay Brooks is the author of the study and an oncologist. He recommends for people that sit at their job, to get up and "expend energy."

Maybe stand while on that phone call. Pacing while in a meeting sounds healthy now!

Getting Bright Ideas

Psychologists at Tufts University gave puzzles to solve, in a limited time, to two groups. One group had a standard light bulb light up partway through the test while the other group had a fluorescent light come on. The ones that saw the light bulb were 50% to 70% more successful at the puzzles than the ones with the fluorescent light.
The researchers running the study felt that the image of the light bulb representing an idea is so entrenched in our society that seeing one come on actually stimulates our creativity.
I say put them in meeting rooms, class rooms, libraries and any place we need to have an epiphany.