Manoush Zomorodi has some news, both good and bad. The bad news? According to her, all that time spent sitting, whether at a desk or while scrolling through your phone, is worse for your health than you might think. This comes from her new book, “Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being.”
The good news? There are straightforward, no-cost strategies to counteract a lot of the negative consequences of being sedentary.
In a recent conversation, Zomorodi discussed how incorporating five-minute movement breaks every 30 minutes could lead to improved health, happiness, and productivity.
This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
CNN: You mention that sitting all day is detrimental to health. Why is that?
Manoush Zomorodi: There are three main reasons. First, your leg muscles require stimulation to effectively manage glucose and lipids, as well as to send oxygen to your brain. Just standing isn’t enough.
Second, sitting restricts your diaphragm, preventing deep breaths. Lastly, there’s the issue of interoception — that’s your body communicating its needs to your brain. When we focus on screens, we often neglect these bodily signals. Your body may be asking for a break, but you might not notice.
CNN: What strategies do you suggest for incorporating movement? What feedback did you receive when you and your listeners tried it?
Zomorodi: We teamed up with Keith Diaz, a physiologist at Columbia, to encourage people to move for five minutes every half-hour, hour, or two hours over two weeks. Participants could do anything from marching while on a call to simply taking a short walk. The variety was up to them, and they could make it work in their routines.
We had to stop enrollment after 23,000 people signed up, highlighting the demand for such practices. By the end of the study, 80% of participants maintained their breaks, and 82% expressed enjoyment in them. We also observed a significant reduction in fatigue.
Reports came in from individuals who found clearer focus, lost that persistent brain fog, and regained energy and improved moods.
CNN: While you suggest we shouldn’t abandon other forms of exercise, simply going to the gym in the morning isn’t enough to counteract sitting all day. Why is that?
Zomorodi: Keep exercising; it strengthens muscles and enhances cardiovascular health. However, sitting can kink your body, similar to a garden hose. This kink leads to pressure buildup, which hampers proper muscle stimulation.
Human beings evolved to require movement for their health. Modern technologies continuously reduce the need for physical activity. It’s crucial to recognize what we’ve engineered out of our lives that our biology still needs.
CNN: Many people feel they lack the time for breaks, yet you assert they can boost productivity. How does that work?
Zomorodi: This was quite surprising for me. I initially thought breaks might disrupt my work routine, but our study showed a 4% increase in productivity. Moreover, the quality of work improved significantly.
Many reported that taking breaks helped them return to their tasks with increased focus. It allowed time for strategic thinking about their next actions. I can personally vouch for that experience.
During a lab study, I found that on days I took breaks, my blood pressure and blood sugar improved, while my mood remained stable. On days without breaks, my anxiety increased and focus faltered.
CNN: You’ll likely draw attention if you start pacing the office twice an hour.
Zomorodi: Absolutely, but many participants shared how they communicated about their “experiment” with others. Some opted to invite colleagues to join them in the effort.
Others adjusted their meeting durations to 55 minutes instead of a full hour. During video calls, many would say hello and then turn off their cameras to move around.
CNN: You note that reliance on technology can lead us to overlook our bodies’ signals. Why does that happen, and what can we do?
Zomorodi: Our environment bombards us with information, and it can feel overwhelming. I spoke with researcher Sahib Khalsa, who advocates for sensory breaks. If you can’t float in a pool, even taking 30-45 minutes to rest in a quiet space can help reset your mind.
Interestingly, people began by relying on timers to remind them to take breaks. However, by the end of our study, many found that their internal cues to move naturally returned, so timers became unnecessary.
This reconnection between mind and body is encouraging. You don’t need to buy anything new; it’s about giving yourself the chance to listen again.
