Got 22 Minutes? This Move Could Save Your Life
Wise & Well Weekly: The newsletter helping you make tomorrow a little better than today
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, with science-backed insights you can use to improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being. If you like what you see, please follow Wise & Well and/or subscribe to this newsletter.
You might’ve heard that physical activity is good for you, and excessive sitting can be bad. New research confirms both by concluding that 20 to 25 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day can offset the negative effects of several hours of sitting.
The researchers pooled data collected across several years on more than 11,000 people age 50 and older in Norway, Sweden and the US.
People who sat more than 12 hours a day had a 38% higher risk of death during the study period compared with those who sat 8 hours. However, the risk evaporated among 12-hour sitters who got at least 22 daily minutes (150 minutes per week) of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Every little bit of physical activity helps, the study found. For example, each 10 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity was associated with a 15% lower risk of death among those who sat less than 10.5 hours.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, show linkages and don’t prove cause and effect — other factors can affect mortality. But the conclusions echo many other studies on the life-saving benefits of movement. Learn more:
HEALTHY READING
A selection of this week’s other informative and insightful Wise & Well articles:
The Scary Science Behind the Ouija Board
You might think the Ouija board is all fakery and conjuring. But scientists have discovered some eerie science behind the game, as it relates to our subconscious minds. The findings could even point to certain practical, clinical applications.
— By Kathleen Murphy
When the Suicidal Teen Grows Up
She was the perfectly behaved child, and that was never good enough. Depression set in during middle school. Then binge eating. This deaf, autistic girl became a social pariah. She just wanted to die. But her adult self is here today, to reach out to anyone who feels suicidal, with a message of understanding and hope.
— By Annika Hotta
Bright Light is a Curse at Night
Too much exposure to normal indoor lighting at night is bad for sleep. And new research finds it’s associated with up to a 30% higher risk of depression, and similarly higher chances of developing anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, psychosis, PTSD, and self-harm. The antidote is as natural as can be.
— By Robert Roy Britt
The Man Who Sleeps 4 Hours a Night
This guy is the poster child for bad sleep hygiene that sets a person up for health disasters. So I decided he needed an intervention, or at least an impromptu introduction to the benefits of good sleep and how to get more of it.
— By Robert Roy Britt
Who Gets to Take Testosterone to Improve Their Mental Health?
The effects of testosterone on the body and brain are poorly understood by most people, this psychiatrist writes in this deep dive on the hormone, who uses it (and who is not allowed to). The lack of knowledge can have serious consequences when it comes to important personal and societal decisions. “Anyone who claims to fully understand the complexities of steroids and gender and mental health is full of bull. Too many people want to impose their gender agendas on others, without listening to what works for each person.”
— By John Kruse MD, PhD
Could Artificial Sweeteners be Making You Fat and Sick?
Sugar alcohol sweeteners like sorbitol, erythritol, lactitol, mannitol, xylitol are everywhere these days — in sugar-free gum, candy, soda, and all sorts of so-called “food.” If you consume them, they’re also in your lower intestines, where they love to hang out and ferment, causing gas, cramping and diarrhea. And those aren’t the worst effects.
— By Amy Sterling Casil
Does Chicken Soup Really Help When You’re Sick?
The presumed therapeutic value of chicken soup dates back to ancient times. Science suggests it really does have healing properties, from simply providing an appealing meal that offers much-needed nutrition to perhaps lessening inflammation and more, this assistant professor of dietetics and nutrition explains.
— By Colby Teeman
RANDOM BIT OF WISDOM
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Wise & Well writers are physicians, psychiatrists, research scientists, dieticians, fitness experts, journalists and other professionals who share their expertise to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. If you like any of these highly curated, professionally edited stories, please follow Wise & Well and/or subscribe to this newsletter. — Rob
