A 2024 longitudinal study found that even brief physical activity breaks during home study can significantly reduce stress. Leisure-time exercise also plays a key role in helping students recover and contributes to their sense of academic achievement. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating movement into daily study routines to build mental resilience and enhance learning capacity.
Australian universities have a valuable opportunity to support student wellbeing by introducing micro-movement breaks into both physical and digital learning environments. Encouraging students to stretch or take short walks during lectures and study sessions can be a simple, yet effective approach. By embedding movement into everyday academic life, students feel more energised, stay focused, and remain engaged, which in turn promotes wellbeing, improves retention, and strengthens academic performance.
Citation: Teuber, M., Leyhr, D. & Sudeck, G. Physical activity improves stress load, recovery, and academic performance-related parameters among university students: a longitudinal study on daily level. BMC Public Health, 2024. (link)
