EHS Wellness News
Don’t Let Winter Have You Singing the Blues
Call it whatever you want: the winter blues, the blahs, the winter doldrums, seasonal affective disorder. Winter can be a bummer for some people. Shorter days, cold weather and a lack of sunshine can make getting out of bed a challenge for many people, let alone being motivated and energized for work....
There's Nothing Polite About Spreading the Flu
Be a gracious host. Use the correct fork. Write that thank-you note. And for goodness' sake, don't spread the flu! Taking the necessary precautions to avoid spreading the flu is so important that even an etiquette institute named for Emily Post is weighing in on the issue...
Sandy Says: Flexibility is Good
And I’m not talking about yoga…...
Make 2012 the Year You Keep Your Resolutions
For many of us, it's a familiar cycle: As the new year approaches, you make some good-intentioned resolutions – but by the time the confetti has been cleared away in the new year, you've already failed. This year, break that cycle by creating a solid plan for actually achieving your resolutions....
Ring in the New Year Safely
It's New Year's Eve and you just want to celebrate with friends, have a glass or two of champagne, watch the ball drop, toss some confetti and have fun. That's all fine and good – but be sure to also keep these important safety tips in mind....
Helping Others Helps Ourselves
Giving during the holidays, or at any time, not only helps others but helps ourselves and appears to lead to a happier and healthier life, says Stephen G. Post, Ph.D., professor of Preventive Medicine, head of the Division of Medicine in Society and director, Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine....
Are You Drinking a Big Glass of Hostility?
It's not secret that some people become hostile, angry or aggressive when they have too much to drink. New research has shed some light on this issue, suggesting that people who lack the ability to consider the future consequences of current actions are more likely to become aggressive when they are intoxicated – something to keep in mind around all those holiday cocktails....
Carry Christmas with You For the Rest of the Year
The holiday season seems to approach with little warning and then barrels past in a hurry, leaving many of us feeling a bit dazed that it's all over and already time to take down the Christmas lights. But according to this expert, you can make an effort to hold onto the feel-good holiday vibes all year round....
Flexibility at Work Might Help Improve Employee Health, Study Shows
A new study suggests that employees in flexible work environments get more sleep, have higher energy levels, are less likely to come to work sick and generally boast improved health and well-being...
Life Coach Gives Tips for Surviving "the Happiest Time of the Year"
For all the promise of joy, peace and harmony that comes with the holiday season, the reality for millions of people is that the season is anything but happy. For many, it’s a reminder of lost loved ones, personal disappointments and unfulfilled dreams....
Sandy Says: Cold Weather Safety is a Hot Topic
Where I live, Jack Frost doesn’t “nip” at our noses, he tries to take a great, big bite!...
Ways to Stay Flu-Free
Work parties, family get-togethers, fun with friends; the holidays are not the time you want to be sick with flu. Yet because of all the personal contact with friends, family, co-workers and fellow shoppers, it's the time of year when you likely might be exposed to the flu....
Mayo Clinic Study Confirms Smoke-Free Workplaces Reduce Heart Attacks
New research from the Mayo Clinic shows that the incidence of heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths was cut in half among Olmsted County, Minn., residents after a smoke-free ordinance took effect. Adult smoking dropped 23 percent during the same time frame, as the rates of other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity remained stable or increased...
How to Survive Holiday Gatherings and Disarm the Debbie Downers
Holiday gatherings rarely run as smoothly as we’d like them to, and for most of us, those Norman Rockwell paintings of Thanksgiving and Christmas are pretty but unrealistic...
Encourage Employees to Approach Health Care Choices as Consumers for Better Results
A new study suggests that encouraging employees to approach their health care choices as consumers, when combined with traditional wellness initiatives, can bolster their diet, exercise and other wellness habits...
Enjoy the Party, Don't Be the Party!
Are your employees prepared to safely navigate holiday parties?...
Boo! Peek Behind Your Coworkers’ Halloween Masks
There’s nothing scarier than an office Halloween party when your coworkers have a little too much to drink. After all, they might reveal their true identities. But if you peek behind that Halloween mask (metaphorically speaking, of course), you may learn a thing or two. Who’s the real-life fairy princess, and who’s the frog?...
Legal Action Can Help Stop Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying tactics can range from gossiping behind a co-worker’s back to physical abuse. And with the introduction of social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, bullying now can extend far beyond the workplace and in some cases, long past employment...
How to Stay Active When You Work Behind a Desk All Day
Summer is gone, which means those beach vacations, bike rides and long walks through the park most likely have disappeared along with the warmer temperatures. But just because you’re stuck at your office desk every day doesn’t mean you have to endure aches, pains and hours of sitting in the same position. Follow these tips to stay active even while in the office....
Too Much Self-Praise Can Lead to Depression
Remember all those self-help gurus in the 90s who suggested people should look in the mirror and praise themselves? Those chants of “I’m beautiful!” and “I am great!” could have led us in the wrong direction, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association (APA)...
Kentucky Companies Using Wellness Programs for Competitive Edge
Residents of Kentucky have the second-highest rates of heart attacks in the country and the fifth-highest rates of diabetes. As health care costs continue to rise, educators, employers and health care professionals are searching for innovative approaches to creating a healthy work force...
Hydrocodone and Oxycodone Lead Work Force Positive Drug Tests
Hydrocodone and oxycodone remain the most detected prescription opiates the general U.S. work force, and random drug tests for the two drugs find nearly double the positives for employees than are found in pre-employment screenings...
Study: Exercise Might Not Boost Productivity for Overwhelmed Employees
If employees work out frequently in order to counteract high job-related stress levels, their productivity may suffer instead of improve, a new study indicates...
Corporate Stress and Energy Vampires
If you answer "yes" to any of the following three questions, this article is for you. If your answers were all "no" don’t bother. You don't have enough pain and, at this time, you're among the few fortunate ones ...
“Worker Intensification” Creates Wellness, Work-Life Balance Concerns
A new survey indicates that a majority of workers in the United States are tasked to do more with less, which can have a negative impact on their wellness, benefits and work-life balance...
