It’s what all pet owners dread: making the decision to euthanize a pet. Take the time to consider the pet’s quality of life and prognosis, as well as your own resources, advises Mary Gardner, DVM, a hospice veterinarian based in South Florida and author of It’s Never Long Enough: A Practical Guide to Caring for Your Geriatric Dog.

The Pawspice (pronounced like “hospice”) quality-of-life program for terminal pets suggests assessing seven areas: hurt, hunger, hydration, hygiene, happiness, mobility, and whether there are more good days than bad.

Nicholas ­Dodman, DVM, president of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies and editor of Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable recommends convening a committee to discuss the situation. This could include the veterinarian, family members (including children no longer living at home), and a friend who can offer an impartial opinion.

There’s no reason to feel guilt or shame about reaching the decision to say goodbye to your pet, says ­Gardner. “It’s not about giving up,” she explains. “Euthanasia is very peaceful and can be an end to suffering.”

Our pets often let us know when they’re ready. Ann Diffley, a retiree from Warwick, R.I., had an 85-pound dog named Bonnie who couldn’t walk after an amputation, but at age 12 still loved being carried onto the porch to sit with Diffily and her husband. One day, Bonnie just looked up at them pleadingly. “We both said, ‘She can’t do this anymore,’” she recalls.

Saying Goodbye With Intention

Once you’ve made the decision that it’s time to put your pet down, don’t rush. Give yourself a day or two to prepare and make memorial items. Maybe you want a paw print, photos, or a clipping of fur. Take your pet to their favorite spot for one last outing, and make sure everyone gets to say goodbye.

Try to avoid crying or moping, which our pets can easily sense. “Make sure their last days aren’t stressful,” says Ursula Liv, owner of Liv Love Dogs, a canine health and wellness consultancy based in Southern California. “Spoil them, brush them, do all the things they love.”

Make an appointment at the vet or with a service that can come to your home, which may be a less anxiety-­provoking option for many pets and their people. “We hold them, we tell them it’s OK to leave, we pet them,” Liv notes. “Be there in the last moments and let them see your face last rather than a vet’s.”

Recognize that you may grieve more than you expected. “Some people have a harder time losing their pet than a human family member,” Liv says. “They’re with you all day, every day.” When you’re ready, seek out resources: Many organizations, such as Lap of Love and Rainbows Bridge, offer support for pet-loss grief.

Above all, find comfort in knowing that you gave your pet a good life and a loving home — and that the grief you feel is an echo of the joy they brought you.

This was excerpted from “How to Care for An Aging Pet” which was published in Experience Life magazine.

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Ask a dog: They’re ready for adventure at the drop of a hat. It’s humans who often need the pep talk and prep time.

And that’s in part what inspired Fern Watt to write Adventure Dogs. As the subtitle explains, the book offers “Activities to Share With Your Dog — From Comfy Couches to Mountain Tops.” And it’s chock-full of glorious photographs of dogs and people having fun together — in case we humans are a wee bit slow in getting the picture.

“All dogs are adventure dogs,” Watt explains. “People sometimes think that ‘adventures’ must be extreme or require a lot of athleticism or money or time off from work. But there are lots of adventures right outside the front door if we remember to look for them. Dogs remind us that the ordinary experience can sometimes be extraordinary. And dogs are great at showing us how to see the world in new ways.”

Watt is also the author of Gizelle’s Bucket List, which recounts a list of must-see, must-do experiences she created for her 160-pound English mastiff, Gizelle.

Watt’s latest book began with a philosophical query: What do dogs want to do for fun? She was inspired by her new pup — a rescue cattle-dog mutt named Bette — and compiled 50 everyday activities, including neighborhood walks (“sniffaris”), surfing safaris, and even canine-and-human “doga” yoga vinyasas.

The activities here are backed by research: Bette tested and approved.

Fun in the Sun ­— and Sand

“I used to think that if I wanted to give my dog the best life ever, I needed to spoil her with handmade designer sweaters from fancy pet boutiques, buy her the most advanced and high-tech dog toys, and treat her to brunch on upscale restaurant patios,” Watt writes. But she soon realized Bette had a whole different worldview: Simple can be wonderful — such as a day at a dog-friendly beach, like the one these two Dalmatians are enjoying.

“My goal is to try to be as amazing as Bette thinks I am. And for me, this is about taking her on as many fabulous adventures as possible. But it’s also about making time for the simple adventures that Bette loves.”

Photo by: Sylvia Schlautmann

Playtime

“Sure, you might look at your dog snoring like a freight train at 3 in the afternoon and assume his athletic prowess is limited to propelling his portly body from the floor to the bed,” writes Watt. But your dog is usually just resting up, waiting for you to get moving.

For some dogs, it’s a game of fetch, a hike, or a swim; whichever, your dog is usually game. And if you want to get serious, you can join organized sports, such as DockDogs, with competitions including dock jumping, human-and-dog swim races, and more. Pooches who measure less than 17 inches from their withers to the ground compete in DockDogs’ Lap Dog class; senior dogs in the Legend class.

Photo by: Jim Zelasko

Canicross Runs

Sure, a walk is great, but if you and your pup want to ramp up your activity level, try a canicross run: It combines aspects of trail running and dogsledding — some people even term it urban mushing. In canicross, your pooch is attached to your waist with a bungee leash and will pull you forward whenever your feet are off the ground.

Watt ran a canicross with Bette: “We were running not to cross the finish line or reach a distance or time goal or even earn a medal. We were running for the joy of it. Bette’s tongue dangled from her mouth and a huge smile spread across my face.”

Photo by: Fern Watt

Long Walks

For the dog — and human — who can’t get enough of walking around the neighborhood, pack up the kibble in a doggie backpack and head out on an overnight or multiday adventure.

“Some people assume their dog doesn’t like to swim or play fetch or would be scared of the ocean or wouldn’t care to see snow. But a lot of dogs are scared of things because they don’t understand them — just like humans,” says Watt.

“Taking your dog to new experiences and places and having patience to let them literally sniff it out is important. Dogs want mental and physical stimulation just like humans. Plus, taking your dog on new adventures is a great way to take yourself on new adventures.”

Photo by: Jamie Sun

Canine Surfari

Surfing doesn’t come naturally to pooches, of course. But when introduced to riding waves on a surfboard or atop the water on a stand-up paddleboard, many dogs enjoy the adventure. “I really think Bono loves the feeling of dropping into a wave with the wind on his face. The same feeling the humans love about surfing!” says Ivan Moreira, human to Bono, a surfing chocolate Lab.

Dog-surfing competitions operate under rules that ensure safety: Pups must actually want to follow their humans into the water. And they usually do.

“I guess some dogs really do want to do everything with their people,” writes Watt.

Photo by: Axelle Woussen

This article originally appeared as “Adventure Dogs!” in the October 2022 issue of Experience Life.

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Humans are not alone in shaping the future of healthcare: Animal-assisted therapy, or “biotherapy,” is playing an increasing role in healing.

Biotherapy practices include support animals, such as therapy dogs, which can assist with a range of challenges. A 2015 study at Chicago’s Loyola University found that people recovering from joint replacement needed significantly less pain medication than the control group when they used canine-assisted therapy.

There are now diabetic-alert dogs that can detect signs of dangerously low blood sugar in people with diabetes. Studies have been conducted to see if dogs’ ability to sniff out cancer can be trained in a systematic-enough way to use their diagnostic help in clinics. In February 2021, there were four dogs working at Miami’s American Airlines Arena that were trained to sniff out COVID-19 in ticketholders waiting to enter.

Horses are especially good at helping humans heal. Equine therapy can support children who have cerebral palsy develop greater strength, sensory integration, and coordination, as well as help military veterans in PTSD recovery.

Finally, some old biotherapy treatments are becoming new again, such as maggot debridement therapy (MDT), in which the larvae are used to clean wounds. While the notion may challenge the faint of heart, the reintroduction of this practice (common before the development of antibiotics) is good news, especially as rates of type 2 diabetes increase, and along with them, the numbers of nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers.

Research has shown MDT to be substantially more effective and efficient than conventional methods in cleaning and healing these wounds, and it may be especially useful for wound care in light of the rise in antibiotic resistance.

Worms can assist human health internally as well. Helminth therapy is an experimental treatment using controlled doses of intestinal parasites to help people manage and recover from inflammatory and autoimmune conditions; they appear to give an overactive immune response a more reasonable target than the body’s own tissues.

This was excerpted from “The Future of Health” which was published in the July/August 2021 issue of Experience Life magazine.

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Pets are beloved members of the family. They share affection with no strings attached, entertain us, and provide us with daily opportunities to show love and care. Since pets are supportive during tough emotional times, we may feel their absence especially acutely when we have to endure their loss without them.

“Many people simply don’t realize how attached they were to a pet,” says psychiatry professor Sandra Barker, PhD, an authority on human–animal relationships. “They think they’ll get over the loss quickly and easily but find themselves struggling with the surprising duration and intensity of their feelings.”

Most or all of the stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance — outlined by ­Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her groundbreaking book On Death and Dying may be present after the death of a beloved pet. “These are now considered phases rather than stages of grief,” Barker explains, “because they can happen in any order and be repeated.”

We may feel guilt, for example, if we think we should have noticed our dog’s illness earlier or forbidden our cat to go outside. Given our pets’ dependence upon us, it’s natural to feel there must have been more we could have done to care for them. “But animals can’t often communicate with us in ways that would help us understand what is wrong with them and the best action to take,” she says.

“It’s important to take the long view of yourself as a pet owner,” Barker adds. “If you’re like most, you probably were responsible, dedicated, and compassionate during the life of your pet. There was only so much you could have known, and you probably did the best you could with that knowledge.”

Consider these suggestions for working through the phases of grief that come with losing a beloved pet:

• Embrace the depth of the bond. Pets aren’t human beings, but our bond with them is a real and deep part of being human, says Barker. For example, you’re not a “crazy cat lady” simply because you are profoundly saddened by the loss of your cat.
• Get support. While many people today understand the depth of the bond between pets and owners, the connection still seems mysterious or trivial to some. Seek support from people who understand what you are going through.
• Honor your pet in your own way. “In commemorating a pet that has died or disappeared, the most important thing is doing what brings you comfort,” she says. “If you would rather put away all mementos of the pet for a while and hold a small ceremony a few weeks later, do that. If keeping a single memento, like a collar or a brush, helps you grieve, do that.”
• Don’t rush to replace the pet. “Wait until you are ready to form a new relationship and try to find one who will occupy a different place in your heart,” Barker recommends.

This originally appeared as “I recently lost my beloved pet and the grief is overwhelming. What are some ways I can work through my emotions?” in the June 2019 print issue of Experience Life.

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If the results of a recent University of Michigan/AARP survey are any indication, the senior set has a thing for pets. Polling some 2,000 Americans between the ages of 50 and 80, researchers found that more than half of the respondents reported owning an animal companion, and two-thirds of them claim their pets reduce their stress and give them a sense of purpose.

“Relationships with pets tend to be less complicated than those with humans, and pets are often a source of great enjoyment,” notes Mary Janevic, PhD, MPH, an assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan, who helped design the survey. “They also provide older adults with a sense of being needed and loved.”

Janevic obviously has not shared a living space with a cat like Tres.

Rescued from a horse barn 15 years ago — our third cat at the time, hence the Spanish name for three —this long-haired, bony collection of neuroses has developed in recent years an inexplicable aversion to litter boxes. Initially, he left his deposits on the basement laundry-room floor, just beyond the three preferred receptacles faithfully used by our other two felines. Lately, however, he’s demonstrated little interest in making the trip downstairs and simply squats wherever he pleases: in the dining room, the den, the bedroom, the porch, and the living room. I find it slightly ironic that he avoids the bathroom.

As you might imagine, this practice creates a certain degree of stress and frustration for a person like myself who prefers a tidy universe. Early on, Tres and I engaged in a battle of wits to determine who was in charge. I cleaned the litter boxes meticulously, positioned them strategically, scrubbed and disinfected his favorite bomb sites, and occasionally attempted to instill some fear of reprisal. All attempts failed.

“You’re arguing with a cat,” My Lovely Wife would point out on those occasions when my anger boiled over.

More recently, after Tres left a puddle rather than his usual pile in the den, I stationed a new litter box in the vicinity — which became a popular destination for the two other cats. A day or two later, the old galoot left a steaming deposit 18 inches from the box. I scrubbed it up and spread some newspaper over the site. The next morning I found a pile on the rug by the front door in the living room.

“He’s just an old cat,” MLW noted when I voiced my frustration at this fruitless contest. “He needs some sympathy.”

I’ve studied, in my own lackadaisical way, the key Buddhist precepts of nondualism, nonattachment, and impermanencefor more than a quarter century, but I have to admit it’s been challenging to apply any of those teachings to my relationship with a neurotic old cat. With MLW’s urging, however, I gradually began to understand that Tres had become my teacher. He was offering me the opportunity — pretty much every day — to practice compassion, patience, and equanimity in the face of odorous obstacles.

Or maybe I’ve just figured out that I’m never going to bend the old grump to my will. Still, I’ve found lately that thanking him — just speaking the words as I clean up the mess — dissolves the stress and reminds me that everything passes (literally!) from one moment to the next.

I’m not sure any of this has any effect on Tres, but now when he climbs on my lap late at night when I’m watching a game on TV, snuggling into my shoulder and letting out a low purr, it occurs to me that he may be sending me some kind of signal. We had a term for it back in grade school: teacher’s pet.

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People with pets — particularly dogs — are markedly healthier than those without. Living with a dog makes us far more likely to spend time outside, according to one report. The reasons are obvious: Dogs encourage us to take them outside every time they need a bathroom break.

One 2015 study found that sustained eye contact between humans and their dogs elicits the same release of oxytocin — the love hormone — that occurs during mother–child bonding. Medical anthropologist Kim Kelly, PhD, who researches the role pets play in enhancing the human microbiome at the University of Arizona, says she couldn’t ignore the way dogs also bonded with older humans during a recent study. “I had one woman tell me she doesn’t know how she smiled before,” Kelly says.

In addition to these benefits, several studies have found that children who are exposed to animals early in life are less likely to develop allergies.

Outdoor Fix:

• If you have a dog, take longer, more frequent walks together.
• Consider letting your pup snooze with you in your bedroom. A Mayo Clinic study suggests this can improve sleep quality.
• If you don’t or can’t have a pet, consider volunteering at an animal shelter.
• When you’re outdoors, pay attention to the birds and animals you see; tuning in to wildlife helps calm the fight-or-flight instinct.
• Book a farm retreat, where you can help milk cows, collect eggs, and care for other animals. (To learn more about animal sanctuaries, visit “Safe Havens for Animals.”)

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Canine lovers already know the benefits of hanging out with Fido — companionship, safety, and more exercise. A new Swedish study suggests that living with a dog might also lower your overall risk of premature death.

Over a 12-year period, researchers sampled 34,202 people in the Swedish Twin Register as well as 3.4 million Swedes between the ages of 40 and 80 in a national database. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, showed that dog ownership was associated with a 20 percent lower all-cause death rate. Individuals who lived alone reaped the greatest benefits: Their overall risk of death was reduced by 33 percent compared with those without a dog.

Researchers also suspect that owning a dog may increase social contact, reduce stress, and improve gut microbiome and immunity (because dogs track dirt into the home). All these factors offer protective benefits that have been shown to extend lifespan — offering more evidence that letting your life go to the dogs can be good for your health.

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Wind rattles the barn doors as it sweeps across the open pasture where llamas — like all faithful sentries — keep a watchful eye. Daisy the Cow calls for her morning meal, piercing the din of volunteers filling hay bins and water bowls.

“It’s time to bring out the pigs!” exclaims Alecia Torres, shelter director for Heartland Farm Sanctuary, an oasis for 80 rescued farm animals near Madison, Wis.

“Just a few more minutes,” someone responds. “We’re almost done making their salads and peanut-butter sandwiches!”

I put down my knife amid a pile of quartered purple grapes, wipe my damp, cold hands on my jeans, and begin to hand Torres some paper grocery bags. They’re filled with grapes and sandwiches as well as handfuls of lettuce and halved bananas with the peels still on.

Suddenly, a volunteer appears in the barn’s hallway accompanied by a rumbling 800-pound pink-and-black-spotted pig named Maxine. Quite literally a pig in a blanket of warm straw moments ago, Maxine sees the bag in Torres’s hand and eagerly follows her to a covered straw patch next to the barn.

Watching Maxine’s black tail turning in a gentle circle as I follow on her heels, I can’t help but smile. I’ve never seen a pig eat from a paper bag.

“Eating from the bag slows her down, and it is also fun and a form of enrichment,” Torres explains. “People don’t realize how smart pigs are. They need activities to stimulate their minds, just like dogs.”

Watching the scene from across a neighboring fence and yearning for her morning grain, Daisy lets out another mooooo — startling me out of my pig-watching trance.

There’s no time for spacing out here; a daunting list of chores fills an immense dry-erase board hanging on a wall near the barn’s “kitchen.” The space is full of no-nonsense, kind-hearted Midwestern women of all ages who are chopping salad veggies for chickens, ducks, and turkeys — each of which have specific dietary needs.

Since food prep is well under way, Torres sends me outside into the steady drizzle with a rake to clear wet straw from the chicken coops. It’s a cold morning, so most of the animals — including sheep, donkeys, llamas, geese, a miniature horse, and some sweater-wearing goats — are snug inside their respective shelters where it’s warmer and dry. But I’m not alone.

An enthusiastic pot-bellied pig named Lucy follows me around the damp grounds, rooting in my piles of straw. Watching her gleefully foraging for scraps, I can’t help but think we’ve both found our happy place.

Putting Animals First

Photography by Heidi Wachter

The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are about 10,000 animal rescues and sanctuaries currently operating in North America. These refuges give new lives to farm and companion animals; exotics such as reptiles, bears, and tigers; and retired or rescued elephants and other circus performers. Some offer tours and onsite lodging, but many are not open to the public.

What they all share is a fierce dedication to animal welfare. At Chicken Run Rescue (www.chickenrunrescue.org), “the health and happiness of the chickens are top priority,” cofounder Mary Britton Clouse tells me while holding a rooster named Magellan. The bird and his brother, Brighton, arrived at the refuge after being used and abandoned by people performing a ritual.

Since its founding in 2001, the nonprofit microsanctuary near St. Paul, Minn., has rescued more than a thousand chickens — including many refugees of the backyard-chicken craze and injured birds with special needs.

The sanctuary is not open to the public, but Clouse welcomes volunteers devoted to developing relationships with the birds as a way of cultivating compassionate eating practices. “We really hope people will live with the birds, rather than think of them as something to put in a cage,” she explains.

The lessons in humane education pay off for both birds and humans. Many volunteers have fostered, then adopted a chicken, freeing up space for Chicken Run to care for more rescued birds.

Saving Them All

Photography by Heidi Wachter

The largest companion-animal refuge in the United States, Best Friends (www.bestfriends.org) provides asylum for dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, parrots, and pigs. Its creation in 1984 was a response to the euthanizing of dogs and cats in America’s overfilled shelters and represented a watershed moment in animal-welfare advocacy.

Located near the Golden Circle of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks, the sanctuary attracts an estimated 30,000 visitors each year.

Most people stay in nearby towns, but the refuge offers cottages, cabins, and two fully equipped RV sites for rent. These allow a rescued dog to stay with visitors for a sleepover, which helps the animal eventually adjust to its forever home.

The sanctuary offers tours as well as opportunities to walk, feed, and groom the animals; visitors can also assist in cleaning chores. The experience can be transformational.

“I’ve always loved animals, but I started adopting those with special needs after my stints at Best Friends,” says Sherrie Bencik of Kalamazoo, Mich. Bencik first toured Best Friends in 2000 and now returns annually to volunteer. She’s even brought her two elementary-age kids to help work with the cats. Children between the ages of 6 and 9 can also attend the summer day camp, which features free activities designed to instill a love of animals.

By partnering with rescue groups and shelters across the country, the sanctuary’s “save them all” message has yielded significant results. Its programs have helped reduce the number of animals euthanized in shelters nationwide from 17 million to about 2 million annually and have profoundly influenced American culture, says cofounder Cyrus Mejia. “When people can no longer say, ‘It’s only a dog,’ that is social change.”

This originally appeared as “Safe Havens” in the October 2017 print issue of Experience Life.

Running Free

For nearly 30 years, Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary has provided 11,000 acres for America’s iconic mustangs to roam untethered among fields of wildflowers under a vast sky.

You can’t ride a horse at the sanctuary, located near Rapid City, S.D., but you can take a two-hour guided bus tour ($7.50–$50 donation) or a three-hour, privately guided, cross-country tour ($75–$150 donation).

Aspiring and professional shutterbugs can take advantage of a special year-round, three-hour guided tour — including photography tips — that offers close-up access to the horses for a $300 donation.

If you go, consider putting yourself to pasture for a night with a stay in one of the sanctuary’s rustic cabins or RV trailers, or in the prairie house. Prices range from $500 to $800 for two nights, depending on group size, and include a three-hour, cross-country tour. Proceeds are used to support the care of the horses. www.wildmustangs.com|

Friends, Not Food

Since its founding in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has been educating people about the humane treatment of farm animals, as well as the effects of factory farming on animals, humans, and the planet. It also advocates for institutional reforms, including laws designed to prevent farm-animal suffering.

Farm Sanctuary operates three shelters. At Watkins Glen in upstate New York, vacationers have a unique opportunity to learn about humane animal treatment and explore the beautiful Finger Lakes region. Visit an idyllic farmers’ market, apple orchard, or the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Or grab your binoculars and watch birds or join a guided walk at Sapsucker Woods, a 230-acre bird sanctuary operated by Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology.

The refuge offers on-site accommodations from May 1 to October 31 in tiny cabins for $160–$190/night or in small houses for $275–$319/night. Companion animals are welcome in most rooms. A $20 membership fee — a donation to the sanctuary — is also required. www.farmsanctuary.org

To find an animal sanctuary near you, visit www.sanctuaries.org.

Not All Sanctuaries Are Equal

Lack of official government oversight creates opportunities for “pseudo sanctuaries” — especially those housing exotic species — to continue exploiting animals. These guidelines from independent accrediting agencies can help you be a smart visitor, volunteer, or donor.

• Sanctuaries must maintain facilities that rescue and provide proper shelter, adequate nutrition, and veterinary care for animals that have been abused, injured, or abandoned, or are otherwise in need.

• There can be no captive breeding (except for organizations that reintroduce animals to the wild), no commercial trade in animals or animal parts, no unescorted public visitation or contact with animals (with some exceptions for adoption/foster programs), and no removal of animals for exhibition, education, or research.

• Organizations must obtain nonprofit tax-exempt status and appropriate permits, and they must practice ethical fundraising activities.

• Staff-, volunteer-, and visitor-safety protocols and training must be in place.

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The workplace doesn’t have to be a dog-eat-dog world, a study finds.

Many studies have shown that pets improve their individual owner’s quality of life and health by providing companionship and support, and by even helping them meet new people and create friendships.

But can a pup affect group dynamics?

To test how dogs might foster cooperation and trust between humans, Central Michigan University researchers conducted three different studies.

In the first study, 120 people were divided into four-person groups and tasked with generating a 15-second advertisement and slogan for a fictional product. Half the groups had a dog present, and half did not.

According to researchers, participants in the dog-present group displayed greater verbal cohesion (speaking in a more positive and friendly manner), physical intimacy (more eye contact, leaning in to speak, and more touching), and cooperation.

In the second study, the 120 people were again divided into four-person groups and were asked to play a game in which they could choose to cooperate or not with their fellow players.

Those in the dog-present group again displayed more verbal cohesion and physical intimacy and gave higher ratings of trustworthiness to fellow group members.

In the final study, 150 new participants were shown 40-second video clips — cropped to hide the presence of a dog — of the groups in the first study and were asked to assess group interaction based on six indicators related to positive emotion. Behavior in the dog-present groups was rated as more cooperative, friendly, enthusiastic, active, and attentive.

“Overall, the findings of these studies provide evidence that companion dogs can improve prosocial behavior in work groups,” the study authors note. “Additional studies could provide a fuller understanding of the causal mechanisms by which dogs influence prosocial behavior. Practically, our results suggest that organizations may benefit by allowing our furry friends to come to work.”

Don’t have access to an office dog? There are still things you can do to improve your well-being during your workday. Here are a few ideas gleaned from past Experience Life articles:

Mix it up! Sit, stand, and move around, changing your work position at least every 20 minutes. And think NEAT — nonexercise activity thermogenesis, a term coined by obesity researcher James Levine, MD, PhD, for all the incidental movement you do throughout the day that isn’t formal exercise. NEAT is also code for “get out of your chair and walk around as often as possible,” he says.

Ask for an office with a window and natural lighting. Two recent studies — one from Northwest University, the other from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s School of Architecture — show that daylight helps you work better and feel healthier, as well as sleep better at night. And both found that natural light improved people’s overall well-being. But with the open layout dominating most offices, this is a rarity. So, get a desk lamp with a warm white bulb to balance out the overhead fluorescent lighting’s brilliance. 

Ride your bike to work. Commuters who bike to work are the happiest — and have the highest sense of overall well-being — compared with those who drive cars or use public transportation, according to a Portland State University study.

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