Making time for short breaks in your daily routine is a recovery power move
Recovery comes in many forms. At one end of the spectrum there’s obviously sleep, but on the other side a growing body of research is putting the spotlight on the importance of giving your mind and body short, intentional moments of rest throughout your day.
Lasting 30 seconds to 5 minutes, these micro-recovery techniques or microbreaks might involve breathing, stretching, moving, connecting or just looking out of the window.
The evidence suggests these short, intentional – and importantly, regular – pauses are effective in reducing stress, improving focus and concentration, regulating mood, building resilience and maintaining energy.
The Stress v Recovery Seesaw
“With recovery, what we're trying to do is redress the balance with stress,” says Professor Greg Whyte.
“Anything that reduces stress – whether it’s physiological or psychological stress from work and life – counts.”
The relentlessness of our routines at work and home can build stress over the day. Micro-recovery breaks work to interrupt this cycle by lowering heart rate and blood pressure, reengaging the parasympathetic system and reducing cortisol levels.
Think of them as tapping the “reset” button before stress and fatigue accumulates.
And however long you have, there’s a technique that works:
40 seconds: Look out of the Window
Simply stick your head out of the window and observe what you see - it’s a dose of fresh air, it relaxes your eyes, puts you in the present moment and resets your brain for what’s next. A University of Melbourne study found that just 40 seconds spent looking at a photo of nature can improve concentration and reduce work errors.
“With recovery, what we're really trying to do is redress the balance with stress.”
60 seconds: Box breathe
This works both as an antidote when you feel stress build, but also as a deliberate, regularand preemptive reset during the working day. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. And repeat. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system and calms the mind. You can even do it in a meeting - as long as no one asks you for the monthly sales figures.
2 minutes: Stretch
Adding movement to your microbreak, like standing neck rolls or shoulder shrugs, offer physical, mental and even longevity benefits. In one Cornell University study, active microbreaks boosted subsequent short-term performance by 15%.
3 minutes: Connect
Even a brief conversation activates oxytocin release – reducing stress, resetting focus improving creativity and much more. “A wonderful way to recover is to talking with friends,” adds Professor Greg Whyte. “Socialising leads to a significant improvement in psychological stress.”
5 minutes: Take a walk
A brief walk at a good pace combines movement, cardio, nature and a mental refresh, boosting energy, focus and reducing stress. For the ultimate microbreak, do it with someone else.
“The key message here is remembering that both stress and recovery come in different forms,” says Greg Whyte. “Optimising our sleep is obviously important, but hydration, nutrition, or sitting and reading a book all play an important part in finding that balance.”
“When you start looking at recovery as a whole, and maximise those opportunities throughout the day, you’ll reduce that stress more effectively in the busy lives we lead.”
NIGHT POWDER is a performance supplement developed to support rest and recovery as part of your nighttime routine.
