According to a study by Mayo Clinic, active workstations, which incorporate walking pads, bikes, steppers, standing desks, and more, are an effective strategy for reducing sitting time and improving mental cognition in the workplace, without compromising job performance. But you don't need to spend money on new office equipment to reap the benefits of active workstations.
In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Mayo Clinic cardiologist Dr. Francisco Lopez Jimenez explains the concept of “activity snacks” and how they can be incorporated into nearly anyone's daily routine.
Sitting at a desk for hours can leave you feeling tired and unmotivated. If that's how you feel, it might be time for a light snack — an activity snack.
The concept is simple: after sitting for an hour, get up and move around for a few minutes.
“Break your body's sedentary state by walking up a few flights of stairs, doing some push-ups or just doing some meaningful movement for a few minutes, then come back and carry on with your work,” says Dr. Lopez Jimenez.
In a sense, those two to three minutes reset your metabolic clock, says Dr. Lopez Jimenez.
“It was impressive to see that these active snacks can induce biological changes in cells, sugar metabolism, and cholesterol metabolism just by having a short, active moment, even if you're just sitting around for the next 45 minutes,” he says.
It's the small changes that can have a big impact on your mental and physical wellbeing.
“You'll find that this little thing will sharpen your brain for the next 30 or even 45 minutes,” Dr. Lopez Jimenez says.
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