Issue #333: Transform Your Office to Boost Your Health
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 23rd.
Stat of the Day
The percent of our day we spend at home if we “work from home.” Makes sense that our home environment is such a big factor in our health & longevity. (American Time Use Survey, 2022)
Learn
Biophilic Design
We spend over half our time awake working.
Let’s assume you protect your weekends and don’t work on Sat or Sun. And that you take off work about 5 weeks or 25 days a year (vacations, running the kids around, one-off days).
That means you’re still working - either in your home office or actually at work - 1,880 hours a year.
That’s a lot of time to be stuck inside (remember our 1,000 Hour Challenge).
Well even if you can’t change your work schedule, hopefully you can change your work environment.
There’s a growing movement called biophilic design. It’s a science-backed method to bring nature into interior design.
Why is this important?
We’re innately pulled toward nature - it’s why we’re captivated by open fires or get lost watching the surf pounding on the shore.
That’s why this type of design isn’t new. Since the beginning of civilization - literally the hanging gardens of Babylon - every culture around the world has focused on bringing the natural world into artificial structures.
What we’ve always known and are now proving with science - it’s a massive boost our health and happiness.
I’m not talking like a little bit - I mean a lot.
Here’s just a small sampling of research showing what happens when we bring nature inside:
Patients recovering from surgery had shorter stays if the recovery room had a window looking out at nature. This research is from 1984, but a recent study at the University of Michigan between 2016-2019 went even further showing that a recovery room window reduced mortality by 20% from 13 high-risk surgeries.
Students recovered faster from math and memory tests when working in a biophilic environment.
Spaces that bring nature inside - through any of the five senses lower our blood pressure, improve our cognitive performance, and make us more positive.
“…the enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it, tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it; and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body, gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration to the whole system.”
So what can you do to make this happen?
While your influence at work might be slightly more limited (maybe share this study with whoever has a say in your corporate office design), here’s a checklist of things to consider for your home office (or at work):
1. Get a plant. We covered this way back in Issue #25 - but it’s worth saying again. Plants not only reduce our overall stress (and maybe even blood pressure), but most of them also clean our air - which can get real stale. Here are 5 of the best office plants or you can always go for herbs that are great to add flavor to your dinner - like rosemary, basil or mint.
2. Get natural light. 60% of office workers don’t get enough access to sunlight. Work by the window and find ways to get the sunlight in - like by using mirrors. If natural light is tough - then try lightbulbs with 2700-3000K for warmer hues than those tough fluorescent lights.
BONUS: Use a lighting system that mimics the circadian rhythm - here are the lumens to use throughout the day:
3. Open the window. Natural airflow gives us the sense of being outside and those breezes make us feel more at peace, plus you get the benefits of natural white noise (unless your neighborhood is always buzzing with those damn leaf blowers).
4. Make it sound like you’re outside. There are plenty of forest or ocean playlists on Spotify these days with hours and hours to listen to while you’re at work. Or check out apps like InsightTimer. Just avoid chirping birds - apparently this gets annoying real fast.
5. Paint your work area with earth tones. Go with grays and blues to make it a more calming space. Also, any artwork of nature brings us to a more rested mental state.
6. Use natural materials. Use real wood or bamboo - especially for your desk and bookshelf, and maybe bring in stuff that gives you positive memories - like the shells from a family beach vacation.
7. Keep it minimalist. Don’t let clutter get in the way (Issue #27). Keep your space clean so that you don’t let it stress you out even before you sit down to work.
Put it all together and you’ve got an office like this…
Try
Plants, Lights or Sounds?
Pick 1 thing from the list above.
Just do one thing to bring more nature into your home office.
What’s on top of your list - a snake plant, more light, maybe a Saturday of painting the walls?
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Look
Pink Moon
Tonight’s full moon is called the “pink moon” - not because of it’s color, but because of the first blossoms of ground phlox, a pink wildflower native to the northeastern US. The full moon started Monday and lasts through tomorrow. The moonrise will happen just after sunset, so go outside and look up!
Getty Images
In the News
The Long Road to Prevent Dementia: The fight against dementia starts in your 40s - when brain changes occur that could pave the way to the condition. Learn more about those changes and what you can do to stave off the various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. (WSJ)
Are We Aging Faster? There’s opinions - which include how we feel and our perception of time. And then there’s scientific research that shows adults under 60 are aging more rapidly and at risk of developing cancer earlier. If verified, the results of this study will lead to preventive screens at younger ages. (US News)
How Long Does It Take to Get Fit Again?: We all stray from exercise from time to time - life happens. Here’s how your body will bounce back. (NYTimes)
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We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.