Nearly 50 million Americans spend at least 20% of their time working in office settings. Office workers run the risk of work-related illness and stress. Psychological scientist Casey Lindberg and his co-workers were interested in examining how different types of office environments are related to employees' short-term health outcomes and well-being.

Taking advantage of digital tools, Lindberg equipped 231 employees in a US government agency with activity trackers over 3 days and 2 nights. Participants also downloaded a mood-monitoring app on their smartphones that quizzed them about their moods at different time throughout the day, both at work and at home. The participants come from a variety of positions working in four different office buildings Choosing a wide range of workers and office types was important to the researchers because it meant their findings could widely apply to many types of workers outside of the agency.

The study produced some results that fell in line with previous findings: Those employees who worked mainly on computers moved around during the day less than those who didn't work computer-based jobs. Older workers and those with higher body-mass indices(BMI) were less active than their younger, lower-BMI colleagues.

The researchers also found something they had not expected. People working at long open tables were 20% more active than were cubicle workers, and 32% more active than were people who worked in their own offices. “It is possible that the open nature of a space leads to increased physical activity by encouraging communication and movement when employees are available,” Lindberg explained. Besides, cubicle-and office-bound employees had higher level of stress both at work and at home after work, which could be caused by lower activity levels.

Although employees generally like to have their own offices, employers often prefer to consolidate employees to save space and money. So it seems open offices have a long way to go.

The Art Newspaper, an online and print publication that covers the international art world, listed the 4 most visited art museums based on attendance figures recently. How many of these places have you visited?   

The Mus é e du Louvre, Paris, France.

It is the world’s largest art museum and a historical landmark of Paris. Housed in the Louvre Palace, the museum has been extended many times since its opening in 1793. Its glass pyramid in the main courtyard was designed by Chinese American architect Ieoh Ming Pei, and it later became a signature design of the museum, appearing in the hit thriller The Da Vinci Code starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou.

National Museum of China, Beijing, China.

Near Tiananmen Square in Beijing, it’s one of the largest museums in the world and the second-most visited art museum in the world, just after the Louvre.

Covering a time span from the Yuanmou Man of 1.7 million years ago to the Qing Dynasty (1644— 1911), the museum has around 1.05 million items— and many cannot be found in museums elsewhere.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, US.

Commonly known as the Met, the museum is among the must-visit attractions in New York City. It stands on the eastern edge of Central Park at Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Met maintains has a large collection of African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine and Islamic art. Every May, the museum holds the grand Met Gala, grabbing global attention like the Oscars.

Vatican Museums, the Vatican City.

If you are into Roman history and Renaissance art, the Vatican Museums will be your ideal destination. Along the exhibition route, visitors can appreciate the wonderful Sistine Chapel decorated by Michelangelo and the Stanze di Raffaello decorated by Raphael.

Living near the ocean is good for health, but not all people can afford it. However, those who can certainly gain a lot of health benefits.

【小题1】 As we know, because people living near a shore get enough time to swim in sea water, they naturally tend to be stronger. Physicians have been recommending visits to coasts that specialize in providing sea water cleansing treatment, which improves the immune system.

Living near the ocean promotes physical activities. The seashore encourages outdoor activities like jogging on the sand, beach volleyball, scuba diving, surfing, etc. 【小题2】

Fresh air helps get sleep. Fresh ocean air enables us to consume oxygen, adding to good health. It also helps people feel more relaxed. 【小题3】 Little by little, this leads to better sleep after spending more time near the beaches.

Living near the ocean can help us absorb more Vitamin D. 【小题4】Thus, natural sunlight, along with the sun rays which bounce back from the sand and the ocean, is an excellent supply for our everyday need of Vitamin D.

Living near the ocean is helpful in meditation. 【小题5】 It helps people free from all worries of the past or the future. We get totally tuned to the present and become calm, as we listen to the rise and fall of waves.