We all know that one person in our office…constantly tapping a foot, drumming fingers and shifting constantly in meetings. While it may drive us crazy, new studies have found that those who fidget may actually be healthier.

From countless previous studies, we know that long office hours spent sitting at our desks are doing nothing to help our health, but now further research has revealed new findings. It may come as no real surprise that the study discovered that women who were only “slightly” fidgety were at a higher risk of premature death than those who reportedly moved around and were more active throughout the day.

For those women who had to sit long periods of time for work but reportedly were more fidgety their risk of premature death was not that different from those who live a more active lifestyle.

Essentially, any movement throughout the day is favorable to sitting still for the day in it’s entirety. While the study can’t prove that the energy burned from fidgeting is the cause of the increase in health, it may have something to do with it.

From this study, we can take the reminder that sitting for long periods of time is simply not good for our bodies. Even if you aren’t fidgety, it’s great to get up and move throughout the day! Try bringing your sneakers with you for a lunchtime walk or even getting up and talking to co-workers periodically. The less time spent sitting totally still, the better!