We know desk-based work isn’t good for our health, to the extent that it often feels like there’s a new study out each week warning about the impact of sedentary work on our mental and physical wellbeing. But for many of us, desk-based work is unavoidable. So, how can we go about mitigating its impact on our body and mind?

According to a new study from Asics, just 15 minutes of movement could make all the difference – at least when it comes to the mental impact of desk-based working.

The global study, which involved 26,000 participants, found that employees’ ‘state of mind’ scores – a measurement of mental wellbeing based on 10 emotional and cognitive traits – started to decline after just two hours of desk-based working, with stress levels rising at the same time. After four hours, stress levels increased by 18%.

Just 15 minutes of exercise can reverse the stress of desk working, according to a new study