Stand Up, You'll Live Longer

I'm sure we all feel badly about how much of the day we spend sitting down. I get so restless sitting at my computer at work that my colleagues aren't surprised to find me dancing in the hallway waiting for an elevator.

But a new study by the American Cancer Society, reported on CNN, shows just how serious this is. They tracked activity levels and death rates in more than 123,000 healthy men and women for 13 years.

Women who sat for six hours a day were 40% more likely to die sooner than women who spend less than three hours sitting.

Men who spend more time sitting have a 20% increased risk of death.

Dr. Gupta explains why this happens. "Prolonged time sitting suppresses your immune system, which may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. And your blood isn’t circulating as it should when you’re sedentary for long periods of time. When blood doesn’t flow through your veins up to your heart, it could lead to dangerous blood clot. It also has metabolic consequences – increasing your resting blood pressure and cholesterol levels."

I think all employees should ask for the desk that double as a stairmaster.