Active breaks: viable solution to reduce stress and improve wellbeing in office workers

Evidence suggests that sedentary behaviour is typically associated with poorer mental health. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic increasedphysical inactivity and stress worldwide, especially for groups whose daily activities were disrupted, such as office workers. Thus, the presentstudies aimed to reduce sedentary behaviour and stress in office workers, via a digital behaviour change intervention. In three studies, full-timeoffice workers of different enterprises in Scandinavia were randomly assigned to a 3-to-4-month intervention engaging in active breaks, or awaiting list control group. Randomization was blocked for previous overall physical activity. Univariate repeated-measures mixed ANOVAs andmultiple regression models were performed using self-report psychological measures (e.g., perceived stress), physiological and behaviouralvariables (e.g., resting heart rate, physical activity, measured via a wearable physical activity tracker), as main outcome variables. Overall, theintervention groups, compared to the control groups (time by group effects), were significantly more physically active, improved physiologicalmarkers, and reported less stress. We found a viable, agile, and scalable solution to combat sedentary behaviour stress for both in situ andremote office workers. Providing office workers with a pervasive digital solution to empower them to increase their physical activity level byperforming active breaks during the workday might be effective in the light of the mental and physical health risks levels that office workers mayexperience.