Five minutes may not seem like much during a busy workday, but new research suggests that short walking breaks every hour could significantly improve health, energy, and workplace performance.
Prolonged sitting has been linked to an increased risk of weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and poorer overall well-being, with health experts warning that it is becoming a growing public health concern. As work increasingly revolves around emails, virtual meetings, and long hours at a desk, many employees now spend most of their day seated.
Now, findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggest that taking a five-minute walking break every hour may be one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay healthy while maintaining productivity.
Researchers found that short hourly walking breaks, referred to as “movement snacks”, delivered the strongest balance between improving well-being and staying productive. Participants reported feeling more alert, less tired, and in a better mood while continuing to meet work demands.
To test different routines, researchers followed more than 11,000 office employees in the United States (US) over several weeks. During the first phase, participants followed their normal schedules and recorded information about tiredness, mood, and work performance.
Over the following weeks, they were asked to introduce short walking breaks into their workdays either every 30 minutes, every hour, or every two hours, and continue reporting their experiences. The results showed clear differences.
Walking every 30 minutes improved mood and reduced tiredness, but was considered difficult to maintain during a normal workday and often disrupted workflow. Walking every two hours offered some benefits compared with not moving at all, but the improvements were less noticeable.
“The findings contribute to growing evidence that long periods of uninterrupted sitting can affect health, even among people who exercise regularly outside work hours. Researchers noted that the issue is not only how much physical activity people get but also how long they remain inactive throughout the day,” the researchers noted.
According to the study, many adults now spend a large portion of their waking hours sitting, making the workday increasingly important.
One of the key findings was that walking for just five minutes every hour was enough to improve mood and reduce fatigue, while remaining practical for employees to maintain.
The most effective and realistic option was a five-minute walk every hour, which produced meaningful gains in concentration, alertness, and overall well-being without reducing efficiency.
Researchers also challenged the belief that taking breaks lowers productivity. Instead, they found that movement breaks may support attention, memory, and mental performance while helping workers feel refreshed and more focused.
The study further suggested that movement does not have to mean stepping away completely from work. Walking meetings, pacing during phone calls, stretching between tasks, or taking a brief walk around the office can all help reduce prolonged sitting.
As screen time continues to dominate modern workplaces, the findings suggest that staying productive and staying active do not have to compete; sometimes, stepping away for five minutes may help people perform better when they return.
“Prolonged sitting and a sedentary lifestyle have been linked to a growing list of health conditions, making physical inactivity one of the leading risk factors for poor health globally,” the research added.
Health experts warn that spending long hours seated, whether at a desk, in meetings, commuting, or using screens, can increase the risk of weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. It has also been associated with poorer mental health, including anxiety and depression, as well as bone loss, chronic back and neck pain, certain cancers, and reduced overall quality of life.
Globally, humans are becoming increasingly inactive. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that nearly one in three adults does not meet recommended physical activity levels. Many adults spend more than half of their waking hours sitting, with office workers often seated for eight to ten hours a day.
Researchers now warn that even people who exercise regularly may still face health risks if they remain inactive for long, uninterrupted periods during the rest of the day. Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, but they also stress that movement throughout the day matters.
Short walking breaks, standing regularly, and reducing long periods of sitting are increasingly being viewed as important for protecting long-term health.
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