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A groundbreaking study conducted by the Mayo Clinic suggests that integrating active workstations, such as walking pads, bikes, steppers, or standing desks, into office settings can significantly reduce sedentary time and enhance mental cognition without compromising job performance.
Published in the journal of the American Heart Association, the study underscores the detrimental effects of prolonged sedentary behavior on overall health and emphasizes the potential benefits of incorporating movement into the workday.
Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a preventive cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and senior author of the study, highlights the importance of combatting sedentary behavior, stating, “Active workstations may offer a way to potentially improve cognitive performance and overall health, simply by moving at work.”
The randomized clinical trial involved 44 participants who were assessed across four office settings over four consecutive days. Researchers evaluated participants’ neurocognitive function using 11 assessments focusing on reasoning, short-term memory, concentration, and fine motor skills, including an online typing speed test.
Dr. Lopez-Jimenez compares sedentary behavior to smoking in terms of its impact on cardiovascular health, noting that office workers often spend prolonged periods sitting at a computer screen and keyboard.
Results from the study indicate that participants experienced either improved or maintained brain function when using active workstations, with only minimal impact on typing speed and no decrease in typing accuracy.
Moreover, the study found that engaging in standing, stepping, or walking activities led to improved reasoning scores compared to sitting, suggesting that incorporating movement into the workday can enhance cognitive performance.
“These findings indicate that there are more ways to do that work while remaining productive and mentally sharp,” emphasizes Dr. Lopez-Jimenez.
The study sheds light on the potential of active workstations to mitigate the negative effects of sedentary behavior and underscores the importance of integrating movement into the workplace to promote overall health and cognitive well-being.
