Want to feel happier at work? Take a five-minute walk
Lead researcher Keith Diaz told BBC News that most adults now spend three-quarters of their waking days sedentary.
He added that while the general advice to “sit less and move more” is correct, people need to know what dosage.
“The good news is that a five-minute walk break every hour is enough to improve mood and reduce fatigue. And people found it realistic and achievable,” Diaz said. he said.
Columbia University’s study surveyed more than 11,000 U.S. workers, most of whom held office jobs and worked eight- to nine-hour shifts.
For the first week, they continued their usual routine and completed daily surveys about fatigue, mood, and work performance.
For the next two weeks, they were asked to take five-minute walking breaks at work every half hour, every hour, or every two hours and to fill out similar questionnaires.
Walking every half hour was good for mood and reduced fatigue, but it disrupted daily tasks.. A walk every two hours was better than no walk at all, but researchers found that a five-minute walk every hour led to the biggest and most feasible improvement in productivity, mood, and alertness.
