Don’t just sit there – stretch

Deep – vein thrombosis – a blood clot in the legs that can be fatal if it breaks off and travels to the lungs or heart – is a hazard for long-distance fliers. But people who work so hard that they never take a vacation are at risk, too. In a study of 62 patients admitted to the hospital with dangerous blood clots, only 21 percent had recently been on lengthy airplane flights – but 34 percent had spent long hours at their desks the previous month. What did researchers count as long hours? These office workers had been at their desks more than eight hours a day, with a three-hour period when they didn’t get up at all, or 12 hours a day, including one hour without moving around. To avoid problems, stand up and stretch your legs every 30 to 60 minutes. Not only that getting up is good for your circulation but it is likely be good for your concentration as well.