Turn phone off to stay in here and now

In a PSA, Will Ferrell plays a man buried in his smartphone while at his dinner table. When his daughter announces she drew a horse, Ferrell responds “Good for you, son.” Funny, but sad … and not uncommon. Almost 90 percent of you told the Pew Research Center you used your cellphone during your most recent social gathering.

We’re pretty sure the disrespect that often accompanies cellphone use in social situations inflicts harm on the user and those nearby. A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology indicates we’re likely right. Researchers had participants go to dinner with friends and family in groups of four or five. Half were told to leave their cellphone on the table to receive and respond to a research question. The other half were told to stash their phones, and answer a research question on paper. The phone-using group had a lousier time than the folks who interacted without digital distraction.

This comes on the heels of studies showing that a phone in a classroom dumbs kids down and notifications trigger Adhd-like symptoms of inattention.

Ups and downs of standing desks

On opening day, March 29, all 30 MLB baseball teams will start off with the same standing. But through the season the standings probably will change many times.

According to Australian researchers, when standing positions change, that’s a good thing. As harmful as it is to be sedentary (it leads to heart disease, obesity, anxiety and depression, and certain cancers), standing for too long isn’t a good idea either.

In their study, published in the journal Ergonomics, the researchers found that doing computer-related work at a standing desk for two hours caused participants’ feet to swell and their reaction time and mental state to deteriorate. This comes on the heels of a 12-year study that found people who had “standing” jobs (everything from being a waitperson to being a coal miner) had a twofold increase in their risk of heart disease compared with folks who got to sit down while working.

So what should you do? Lie down on the job? Well, naps do help some folks (Google allows it), but the real lesson is that standing, sitting and moving around should all be part of every day. Using adjustable desks that allow for various positions is a great idea. Stretching and moving every hour is another one. Incorporating movement into every opportunity (stairs not elevator, bike not drive, walk not sit) is brilliant!

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.