WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that taking a five-minute walking break every hour may be enough to improve your mood, reduce fatigue, and counter the negative effects of sitting for long periods.
Researchers led by Keith Diaz of Columbia University Medical Center in New York analyzed data from nearly 11,500 adults who participated in a 21-day movement challenge organized by National Public Radio (NPR) in the United States.
During the first week, participants followed their usual routines while completing daily surveys about their mood, tiredness, and work performance. For the next two weeks, participants were assigned to take five-minute walking breaks every 30 minutes, every hour, or every two hours during the workday. Each evening, they completed the same surveys to evaluate their mental and physical well-being as well as their productivity.
The researchers found that walking every 30 minutes provided the greatest improvements in mood and fatigue, but was often too disruptive to the workday. Walking every two hours was better than not taking breaks at all, but the biggest overall benefit came from a five-minute walk every hour. This schedule offered the best balance, improving mood, alertness, and productivity while remaining practical for most workplaces.
'The good news is that a walk break every hour for five minutes is enough to improve mood and lower fatigue. And people found this realistic and attainable,' Diaz said.
'Even though it may seem counter-intuitive, movement breaks actually can boost work performance,' Diaz added. 'They can improve executive function, attention and memory. And it helps people feel more relaxed and fresh.'
The findings also challenged the common belief that taking breaks hurts productivity. Instead, the study found that brief movement breaks did not reduce work performance and even led to small but meaningful improvements.
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