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 short-time 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.

Fig. 1.

Flow chart of participants included in the study

Fig. 2.

Protocol of our active rest intervention study In this randomized controlled trial, participants within a workplace unit were randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups. Anthropometry indices, blood pressure, physical activity levels, mood states, job-related stress and work ability were evaluated before intervention and after the 10-week intervention.

Fig. 3.

Comparisons of physical activity levels in the intervention and control groups at the baseline and after the 10-week intervention Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. A) number of steps, B) inactive time, C) time spent in light intensity, D) time spent in moderate intensity, and E) time spent in vigorous intensity Open circle; intervention group, filled square; control group *; p for Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, <0.05, in comparison to values before intervention in each group.

Fig. 4.

Association between the number of exercise participation and the change in item of "vigor-activity" in POMS 2, as determined by a simple regression analysis in the intervention group. In this simple regression analysis, the change in the item of "vigor-activity" in POMS 2 was a dependent variable and the number of exercise participation during the intervention period was an independent variable. The number of exercise participation was positively correlated with the change in the item of "vigor-activity" in POMS 2 (r=0.467, p=0.011).