We're spending more time sitting. That can accelerate aging and shorten our lives.

• Stunning stat: Americans spend an average of 9.5 hours sitting each day, The New York Times' Jen Murphy writes. American workers burn 100 fewer calories a day compared with 50 years ago.

The money quote: "[A] lot of what you perceive as aging is going to be heavily influenced by your sitting time," Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and author, told The Times.

🔬 Driving the news: A study published this year followed 480,000 people in Taiwan over 13 years. It found that those who spent most of their workday sitting had a 34% higher risk of dying from heart disease than those with more active jobs.

• After just 30 minutes of sitting, our quads and glutes can stop activating. Prolonged sitting can weaken those big muscles over time.
• Sitting too much can also hinder the body's ability to break down fat. A sedentary lifestyle is linked to depression and anxiety.

👀 The intrigue: Federal guidelines say adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. But that might not be enough for those with sedentary lifestyles.

• The expert consensus is that the more you sit, the more you need to exercise, The Times reports.

🏋️ Reality check: It's not always possible to squeeze in an hour at the gym every day. But little changes can add up.

1. Try the cheapest workout: climbing stairs. Go for a walk around your home or office once an hour and add in stairs.
2. Work out while sitting by pointing and flexing your feet or marching in place.
3. Don't forget your upper body. Take your hands off the keyboard and stretch your arms and shoulders. Or take it to the next level by keeping light weights at your desk to lift.

This Brooklyn house is spectacularly decorated for Halloween.

• Happiest weekend! See ya Monday ... Election Eve!