Need Cheering Up? Get Moving

Usually when we feel bad we like to sit down. We don’t want to be sad standing up, right? Well, according to a new study, getting up and moving is really the best way to put a smile back on your face.

That doesn’t mean you need to hit the gym — it really just means standing up and walking around instead of wallowing in your chair.

Researchers looked at over 400 people and tracked them for four days, seeing how much they sat or walked and also how happy they were through those days. We would have liked to see the study go longer, but it still reinforced what we think is pretty undeniable: a nice stroll is going to lighten your mood versus staring at your computer, no matter how comfy you find your chair.

None of these people were sprinting around. They simply moved by stretching their legs and wandering from one area to the next. It is literally about the least you can do that will benefit you, which goes past what we already know — that sitting for longer periods of time is terrible for your health. So not only will you live a longer, but you may be happier as well.

-Shane M.