Hit the breaks for energy, focus, and health

Who among us hasn’t experienced waves of drowsiness and low energy while sitting through a lecture or at a computer screen?

To keep their students alert and engaged, psychology professors at Ohio State University tested to see what would happen if they allowed students to get up and move around during their 80-minute classes.

A five-minute movement break was instituted at their classes' 25- and 40-minute mark. Activities included aerobic, strength-building, yoga, balance, and breathing exercises, which varied daily.

At the semester’s end, based on student feedback, the professors concluded that the movement breaks boosted attention and engagement. In addition to improved energy and mental focus, the students reported enjoying the class more.

In a 2024 study, 18 overweight men either sat for 8.5 hours straight or took movement breaks that consisted of one of the following:

One 30-minute walking break per day.

A three-minute walking break for every 45 minutes of sitting, for a total of 30 minutes of daily movement.

Three minutes of squatting exercises for every 45 minutes of sitting, for a total of 30 minutes of daily movement.

Naturally, all protocols improved blood sugar levels compared to continuous sitting, but the shorter walking and squatting breaks, spread throughout the day, lowered glucose more than the single walk. Researchers wrote that the superior benefits were due to increased muscle activity during frequent movement breaks.

A long-held misperception about exercise is that small amounts aren’t worthwhile. A few minutes of single-leg balancing, push-ups, and shadowboxing leave me alert, energetic, and appreciative for having done them.

Have you experienced the pick-me-up that comes from “hitting the breaks” for physical activity, or are you curious to try it? I’d love to hear about your experience and what activities you include.