The practice of active rest by workplace units improves personal relationships, mental health, and physical activity among workers

Abstract

Aim: This study was designed to clarify the effects of active rest, with a focus on the practice of shorttime group exercise by workplace units, on personal relationships, mental health, physical activity, and work ability among workers. Methods : Fifty-nine white-collar workers (40 males and 19 females) performed our active rest ( short-time exercise ) program, which consists of warm-up, cognitive functional training, aerobic exercise, resistance training and cool-down for 10 minutes per day, 3 times per week during their lunch breaks for 10 weeks. Participants from a workplace unit were randomly allocated to the intervention (five workplaces, n=29) or control groups (six workplaces, n=30). The participants' anthropometric measurements, and their Profile of Mood States ( POMS ) 2, Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ), physical activity levels and Work Ability Index were examined at the baseline and after the 10-week intervention. Results: After 10 weeks, physical activity levels, especially the time spent in moderate and vigorous intensity, increased in the intervention group (p<0.05). The items of "vigor-activity" and "friendliness" improved in POMS 2, while "vigor," "interpersonal stress," "support from superiors, colleagues, and family/friends," and "job satisfaction" improved in BJSQ in the intervention group (p<0.05). In the intervention group, the number of exercise participation was positively correlated with the change in "vigor-activity" in POMS 2 (r=0.467, p=0.011). Conclusions: These results suggest that the practice of active rest by workplace units is important for improving personal relationships, mental health, and physical activity among workers.

Psychosocial effects of workplace exercise – A systematic review

“…Most studies (N=17) (24,25,(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47) were conducted in Europe, the rest in North America (48,49), Japan (50,51), and Australia (52). The workplace settings varied from employees working in office/having administrative tasks (N=10) (34,35,37,38,41,43,(47)(48)(49)52), to health personnel in hospitals/nursing homes (N=5) (25,33,44,46,50), to laboratory technicians (N=2) (39,42), to other manual job settings or workplaces with a mix of work tasks (N=5) (24,36,40,45,51). Sample size ranged from 24-860 participants, with a total of 4010 participants throughout the studies.…”

“…Sample size ranged from 24-860 participants, with a total of 4010 participants throughout the studies. The majority of studies (N=12) (25,33,34,36,38,40,42,43,46,(50)(51)(52) were based on healthy workers, three studies (24,39,48) examined workers with musculoskeletal problems, three studies (41,45,49) looked at sedentary/physical inactive workers, two studies (35,47) included workers with light mental health complaints, one study (37) looked at workers with both mental and/or musculoskeletal complaints, and another (44) examined high aged workers. The exercise interventions consisted of a wide range of different exercises offered from 6-86 weeks (21 months), with most studies offering an intervention period ranging from 8-12 weeks (24, 25, 33-37, 39, 47, 48, 50-52) N=13.…”

“…Only four studies (35,38,45,47) had psychosocial outcomes as their primary outcomes. In ten (24,25,33,34,39,41,42,46,50,52), it appeared as secondary outcome whereas it was one equal outcome among others in eight studies (36,37,40,43,44,48,49,51). The same trial was used in two studies (25, 33) (intervention and study population) to conduct two different analyses with different outcome measures.…”

“…The same trial was used in two studies (25, 33) (intervention and study population) to conduct two different analyses with different outcome measures. Thirteen studies (34-39, 41, 43-45, 47, 49, 50) focused on mental health outcomes, while two (33,42) focused on psychosocial environment, and seven (24,25,40,46,48,51,52) examined effects on both. All psychosocial outcomes were measured through self-reported questionnaires.…”

Strukturelle Prädiktoren der Adhärenz für körperliche Aktivität im betrieblichen Setting – eine systematische Übersichtsarbeit

“…Michishita R. et al [29] waren mit einem abwechslungsreichen, aber kurzen Pausenprogramm recht erfolgreich. Hier betrug die Adhärenz 62 + / -28,9 %.…”