According to ABC News , the study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed data from nearly 11,500 participants in the "Active Body Challenge," a two-week program aimed at reducing chronic inactivity.
Participants were asked to walk for 5 minutes at a comfortable pace every 30, 60, or 120 minutes.
Researchers collected survey results for seven days prior to the challenge and throughout the two-week intervention period.
According to the study, people who incorporate short walking breaks report feeling less tired and in better spirits. Furthermore, taking breaks doesn't seem to negatively impact work performance.
Just 5 minutes of walking after every 30 or 60 minutes of sitting can benefit your body (Photo: Adobe Stock).
Researchers concluded that simply walking for 5 minutes every hour is enough to offset the health risks of prolonged sitting.
Specifically, empirical evidence suggests that frequent, short periods of physical activity (i.e., interrupting prolonged periods of sitting with walking, such as walking for 5 minutes after every 30 minutes of sitting) can counteract the adverse metabolic and cardiovascular effects of prolonged sedentary behavior and improve psychosocial well-being.
While 30-minute walks yielded the greatest improvements in mood and energy, researchers found that hourly walking breaks were a more suitable solution for most people, balancing health benefits with the ability to maintain them in daily life.
These findings add to a body of research examining ways to mitigate the effects of prolonged sitting, which is linked to a range of physical and mental health concerns.
Previous studies have suggested that these short periods of physical activity—sometimes called “activity snacks”—may improve health. However, this is the first study to test different time intervals between 5-minute walking breaks and people’s perceptions of them.
The harmful effects of sitting for too long.
According to AOL , excessive sedentary lifestyles have emerged as a major public health concern, increasing the risk of numerous chronic diseases, poorer mental health, and higher mortality rates, while also placing a significant economic burden on healthcare systems.
Adults in high-income countries currently spend 11-12 hours a day in a sedentary state, equivalent to more than three-quarters of their day.
Sitting for extended periods is partly thought to impair health due to reduced activity of the musculoskeletal system and the arteries that supply blood to the lower extremities.
The research team stated that regular exercise can compensate for this by improving blood flow and reactivating metabolic processes related to how the body handles fat and glucose.
Emily McGrath, senior cardiology nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the study focused on the effects of short bursts of movement on mood and fatigue. However, existing evidence also suggests that prolonged sitting increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, circulatory problems, and premature death.
"Regular 'exercise snacks,' such as walking for 5 minutes every hour, can improve mood and support cardiovascular health," she said.
A sedentary lifestyle, especially the habit of sitting for long periods, is considered the "sitting epidemic" of this century and is linked to numerous health problems. If you can't meet the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity per day, you should at least include 4-5 minutes of high-intensity interval training.
According to the World Health Organization and health experts, you should dedicate at least 150-300 minutes to moderate-intensity exercise (brisk walking, swimming, cycling) each week. Regular exercise helps increase your lifespan and prevent chronic diseases.