Keeping Your Mind And Brain Healthy
Every day, we hear more and more about the health dangers of our modern way of living. With increased use of technology, large portions of our day are spent sitting in front of a screen — watching TV programs, surfing the internet, or working on a computer.
A few years ago, this sort of lifestyle probably wouldn't have been seen as such a big concern. But today's increasing rates in obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes is driving researchers to find ways to prevent these diseases before they get worse -- and one way is through regular exercise.
Today, there's one group that is particularly at risk for many of these lifestyle-related diseases — and that's those in the fast-paced world of tech.
As high-tech professionals work long hours -- usually sitting in front of a computer screen -- their health is at risk. Most people who work in the tech industry are constantly on the go. If you're always running around from meeting to meeting, sometimes forgetting to eat and get proper nourishment for yourself, it can have a damaging effect on your brain and body.
A few years ago, some researchers decided to study these effects by involving employees from different companies who worked long hours. They looked specifically at how three key factors affected the brain: stress, sleep deprivation and exercise.
They divided a group of individuals into three groups: one that exercised regularly, one that got adequate sleep, and one that under-slept and was stressed out — or had a lack of control over their stress levels. After observing these subjects for five years, the researchers found some interesting results.
Those who slept poorly or were stressed out had higher levels of proteins called cytokines in their blood — proteins that can trigger inflammation and alter brain chemicals. The combination of high cytokines with low control over your emotions can alter your memory and even cause depression.
This study was the first of its kind to show a direct link between sleep deprivation and impairment of brain function. It also helps provide insight into how people work too much and don't get enough sleep, which then leads to high levels of stress and, ultimately, an inability to handle all that stress.
A few years later, other researchers found that adults who are constantly on their phones or computers are actually at risk for type 2 diabetes — between half and two-thirds less than adults who do not spend any time looking at a computer screen.
In a recent study, researchers out of the University of California and Loma Linda University found that adults who spend more than 4.5 hours a day looking at their screens are at least 50 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than adults who spend less than one hour a day on screens.
These subjects did not have any risk factors for type 2 diabetes other than the amount of time they spent staring at their phones or computers.
The reason for this is simple: The more time you spend sitting in front of your computer, the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes and other weight-related diseases. Researchers believe that this is because sitting still does not burn calories and then your body accumulates body fat.
Weight gain and type 2 diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke and sometimes even an early death. This is why it's so crucial to promote a healthy balance between your work and your health.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can improve both aspects of your work-life balance. Use these tips to ensure you're taking care of yourself:
• Set clear workplace limits for screen time — especially for big screens like TVs or computer monitors where people tend to spend the most time — and put them in writing. Tell others how much time they can spend on their screens and monitor them closely.
• Incorporate more breaks into the day for physical activity — even just walking around the office or talking to a colleague instead of emailing them.
• Schedule in some time during the day where you turn off your work cell phone and focus on yourself. This can be anything from going to the gym or taking a walk to calling a friend or family member.
By incorporating clear limits on screen time and regular exercise, people will not only improve their health, but they'll also improve their mental well-being. And that's how you can help your employees to live a healthier life and prevent those long-term health issues.
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Source: HOB Business : Keeping Your Mind And Brain Healthy (https://www.thehob.com/business-news/features/Articles/2016_10_01__Keeping_Your_Mind_And_Brain_Healthy.html)
Title: What You Need To Know About The Risks Of The Digital Workplace In 2016 — And Beyond
ARTICLE START
There are many benefits to the digital workplace, but it also brings risks that you need to be aware of, says Jon Cronshaw, general manager of Dimension Data Australia.
Here are some of the big ones to consider.
Illustration: John Shakespeare, design and illustration by Simon Eyers
DIGITAL INSECURITY: THE CAUSE OF FEAR
A little over a year ago, Dimension Data Australia was investigating a large scale data breach it had discovered in late 2014. The hackers had been able to access an employee’s laptop and find passwords that gave them access to critical company information including card details. All they needed was a ‘man in the middle’ scheme – where they were able to intercept the information between the employee and the company’s website – so they could view it then manipulate it.
“We wanted to understand what had happened and whether it could be a risk for other companies. So, we started looking at the risks of digital devices and if the digital workplace was actually at risk,” says Cronshaw. “What we found was that cyber security was a bigger concern than most organisations realised – it wasn’t just about privacy, but your intellectual property. And, in some cases there were very simple steps you could take to mitigate or reduce the risks.”
The most simple step is to ensure device security is correctly set up on laptops and mobile devices – which includes encrypting them with a strong password.
“It isn’t a matter of whether it will be hacked – every device is at risk – but it is about how prepared you are to manage that threat and what steps you have in place if it happens,” says Cronshaw.
Along with having the right security protocols in place, organisations need to build a culture around cyber security so staff know the risks and the procedures if they do identify a breach. “Most organisations have physical security processes in place but what we found was that digital security and people being aware of their digital devices is not as embedded,” he says.
Conclusion: Encrypt your devices, know your digital devices and take steps to manage the risks.
#IFTTT in Slack?
What’s the big deal with productivity tools like Google Calendar, Evernote and Simplenote? In a word – everything. So much so that we now have tools that can make all those individually useful services work together to save us time. That is exactly what app developer IFTTT did when it launched in 2011 as a way for people to automate tasks with other apps, without having to learn yet another system or tool. In 2015 the company said that 80 million people used its service in more than 200 countries around the world. And by 2017 it had over 110 million users globally.