Whether at a lab bench or an office desk, many of us sit for long periods of time. It’s become clear that this isn’t great for our health. Fortunately, in a recent paper in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers show there may be a fairly easy way to help mitigate some of the associated health risks. In particular, the study identifies a number of health benefits associated with getting up to walk around for a few minutes – taking an “activity snack” break – every 30 to 60 minutes. 

As explained in this recent NBC News article about the study, even as little as one minute of walking every 60 minutes can have a positive impact on blood pressure, fatigue and mood. Five minutes of walking every 30 minutes was found to help with blood sugar.

Looking for “activity snack” options? Try walking to fill your water bottle, or taking a flight of stairs in your building, or instead of sending an email to your co-worker – go talk to them in person.

And please feel free to download and print/post this PDF of recommended exercises from the ergonomics unit within UW’s Environment, Health & Safety office. If you have any discomfort at your workstation, please contact Ergonomics at ergonomics@fpm.wisc.edu for individualized recommendations.