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What Sitting All Day Does to Your Brain and Body | Keith Diaz | TED

Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exercise scientist Keith Diaz shows how your body is built for the kind of movement that modern life has quietly erased — and suggests something refreshingly doable: making time for small doses of movement sprinkled throughout the day, as a way to boost your brain…

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Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exercise scientist Keith Diaz shows how your body is built for the kind of movement that modern life has quietly erased — and suggests something refreshingly doable: making time for small doses of movement sprinkled throughout the day, as a way to boost your brain and body. (Recorded at TED2026 on April 15, 2026)

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62 Comments

62 Comments

  1. @jahid3307

    June 29, 2026 at 11:06 am

    Please bangla translation add 😓

  2. @michaelsama716

    June 29, 2026 at 11:07 am

    Damn, first

  3. @jamiethrogmorton2540

    June 29, 2026 at 11:07 am

    Indeed, we’re living in the “Sedentary Error.” Beautiful Freudian slip.

    • @GooogleGoglee

      June 29, 2026 at 11:21 am

      @jamiethrogmorton2540 underrated comment

  4. @AdvantestInc

    June 29, 2026 at 11:15 am

    Curious whether the mood benefits people reported in the movement break experiment held up over longer stretches, or if the effect faded once the novelty wore off.

    • @brattybao

      June 29, 2026 at 4:08 pm

      I would be really interested in hearing more about this also.

  5. @stickman4087

    June 29, 2026 at 12:05 pm

    I’m the complete opposite i work in a restaurant where I’m moving nonstop all day, I’m lucky if i get 5 minutes to sit down

  6. @DanTumaMedia

    June 29, 2026 at 12:07 pm

    Jesus loves you.❤

  7. @Laboratório2000

    June 29, 2026 at 12:13 pm

    Great presentation!

  8. @harrypearle9781

    June 29, 2026 at 12:15 pm

    BODY ELECTRIC book by Manoush Zomorodi, is introduce by Keith Diaz
    ==========================================================
    (Can we motivate EXERCISE to EXORICSE laziness and procrastination? ) TNX

    • @harrypearle9781

      June 29, 2026 at 12:18 pm

      TNX MCH Keith

  9. @K4R3N

    June 29, 2026 at 12:22 pm

    9:20 26 years of IT work, I can’t do it anymore. My body is rejecting sedentary work style.

  10. @coach.shea.cummings

    June 29, 2026 at 2:18 pm

    What a fantastic presentation. This confirms my philosophy on movement… the bar is so low for what we can do to affect our health and wellness.

  11. @GeorgeOrwell-d2l

    June 29, 2026 at 5:02 pm

    Well I’m 54 now so . . . so let’s get on with it LOL !!!!

  12. @amblinalong

    June 29, 2026 at 6:53 pm

    Stephen Hawking made it ok. So are people in wheelchairs simply doomed?

  13. @toni4729

    June 29, 2026 at 7:00 pm

    You tell me how many athletes have lived longer than the rest of us. I bet you can’t. They don’t. Many of them suffer severe injuries as well. So what makes you, at your age, the expert? I’m 75 and have been sedentary my whole life. There’s nothing wrong with me.

    • @FionaGoode

      June 29, 2026 at 8:14 pm

      @toni4729 Athlets, in general, destroy their bodies. General medical advice denounces a sedentary lifestyle, but doesn’t recommend extreme athelet levels of exercise either. Moderation is key, and different people will have different needs anyway.

    • @toni4729

      June 29, 2026 at 9:17 pm

      @FionaGoode Yes, of course. I don’t see any of us living longer though.

  14. @toni4729

    June 29, 2026 at 7:04 pm

    Don’t consume sugar and your body creates only the glucose you require.

  15. @CenturyWisdom-q5w

    June 29, 2026 at 9:38 pm

    This was a terrifying wake-up call that filled me with dread. Realizing how much time I spend chained to a desk, quietly destroying my mind and body, brought a heavy sense of panic. The harsh truth of this damage hit me hard, sparking an urgent, desperate need to finally stand up and start moving.

  16. @robertb1633

    June 29, 2026 at 10:02 pm

    If I tell my boss that I’m going to take a 5-minute walk every 30 minutes, they’ll just fire me right there. So thanks, now I have another reason to hate capitalism.

  17. @dadapotok

    June 30, 2026 at 4:10 am

    for more on this look up VILTA and exercise snacks with bodyweight training etc. Then, after few months, if you can arrange safe and professionally supervised training and are ready for more commitment, consider looking into Norwegian 4×4 and HIIT. But yes, key insight after 3 years of consistent training to me was that training drives adaptation and training to feel more energetic throughout the day requires more movement throughout the day, wild, I know.

  18. @mohanabrabu

    June 30, 2026 at 4:15 am

    Feature idea: @apple watch can integrate this into their Stand Up reminders

  19. @feyitech

    June 30, 2026 at 5:15 am

    Pacing comes to mind. It’s funny how our brain naturally pushes us to do things that keeps us healthy. This video makes me understand why I stand up every now and then to clear my mind through pacing. Seems my brain might be fogging up my brain intentionally to reward me with clarity after pacing for a few minutes.

  20. @rachieh1804

    June 30, 2026 at 6:04 am

    The video our boss shows us about why they’re removing the office chairs 🤦‍♂️

  21. @Zrra-x6k

    June 30, 2026 at 6:34 am

    Her presentation reminds me the situation of AFGHANISTAN where girls are not allowed to go to school after sixth grade and women are not allowed to work. Isn’t it shameful to be silent?

  22. @Booksworm-n6q8p

    June 30, 2026 at 6:38 am

    Where did you work Camp Halfblood? 0:10

    • @JimTom-v2h

      June 30, 2026 at 9:17 am

      @Booksworm-n6q8p ball knowledge

    • @Booksworm-n6q8p

      July 1, 2026 at 6:44 am

      @JimTom-v2h Aayyy!

  23. @TobiasNhamo

    June 30, 2026 at 7:49 am

    Ted really moves me positively.

  24. @HugoGerryts

    June 30, 2026 at 2:17 pm

    My own experience. Taking a smoke break (I know bad) each hour. In that time, I usually/sometimes find the solution that was eluding me the whole time sitting in front of the screen. My brain just gets a wake up call.

  25. @dpkgray

    June 30, 2026 at 5:03 pm

    I am a quadriplegic, I have hardly moved at all for sixteen years since my accident, yet, here I am!

  26. @haritssyah7434

    June 30, 2026 at 10:37 pm

    Move

  27. @GarciaGiuseppe-h7b

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    The only book that’s ever actually helped me shift the way I think about myself is Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor. I’ve tried therapy, courses, videos, but nothing hit me like this. The way the author explains insecurity and transformation is just insane. Please don’t sleep on this book

  28. @ThomasSimona

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    I used to scroll past comments where people recommended random books, but here I am now doing the same. That’s how much Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor impacted me. It’s one of those rare books that doesn’t just give advice – it makes you confident and then pushes you to grow

  29. @LopezLiam-u5f

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    Having struggled with confidence for years, I was shocked at how much Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor resonated with me. Some of the chapters feel almost uncomfortably honest, but in the best way possible. This book gave me perspective I didn’t even know I needed

  30. @Price秋香

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    I was skeptical at first… every self-help book claims to change your life and make you disciplined. But Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor is brutally different. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s like reading someone’s diary of struggle and transformation, and it made me reflect deeply on my own journey

  31. @EdwardsEdna-o5h

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    I know it’s a cliché to say “this book changed my life,” but if there’s ever one random comment you take seriously, let it be this. Find Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor. You’ll thank me later

  32. @WatsonManuel-h9i

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    I used to scroll past comments where people recommended random books, but here I am now doing the same. That’s how much Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor impacted me. It’s one of those rare books that doesn’t just give advice – it makes you feel understood and then pushes you to grow

  33. @JamesGiuseppe-j8q

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    I know it’s a cliché to say “this book changed my life,” but if there’s ever one random comment you take seriously, let it be this. Find “Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor”. You’ll thank me later…

  34. @TurnerKimmo

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    I was skeptical at first… every self-help book claims to change your life. But “Glow They Never Saw by Zael Veynor” is brutally different. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s like reading someone’s diary of struggle and transformation, and it made me reflect deeply on my own journey

  35. @MendozaRebecca-w8w

    June 30, 2026 at 11:11 pm

    Having struggled with self-doubt for years, I was shocked at how much “Glow They Never Saw” by Zael Veynor resonated with me. Some of the chapters feel almost uncomfortably honest, but in the best way possible. This book gave me perspective I didn’t even know I needed

  36. @gemtracks-z2u

    June 30, 2026 at 11:44 pm

    watched it wil im on my office chair sitting for almost 5 hours now

  37. @CastleCorbenic

    July 1, 2026 at 2:58 am

    I have noticed how being inactive for a few hours can impact my mood compared to movement. It is hard for me not to move as my body can make things uncomfortable for me if I do not, hence I am very active throughout the day, perhaps due to the chemical fix I get from movement. Small changes make a big difference in overall health. It is not much fun in older age if someone through lack of movement gets disabled by the so-called conditions of old age.

  38. @MlindaFisher

    July 1, 2026 at 8:24 am

    That’s why many people during the technology generation are dying from, heart attacks, strokes and cancer, and many other diseases at an alarming rate, younger age than before, all less prevalent in previous generations. Not to mention, processed and GMO foods, chemicals in our environment, our bodies are struggling to eliminate these toxins. Our organs can’t release enough to detoxify. Exercise, do saunas, and try to eat whole organic plant-based foods. Calorie restriction has shown promise in scientific studies for longevity. I know it is difficult, even if you do a little, that will promote a longer life. I feel so sorry for children growing up in this generation, if things don’t change in society, their lifespan will ultimately decrease. But don’t give up hope, the body has an amazing ability to heal, if we change our approach. 😊

  39. @hangwong2071

    July 1, 2026 at 9:10 am

    We all have height adjustable/standing desk at work and one gal has a mini walking treadmill that she pace while she works. There a times I stand all day at my desk and surprisingly at the end of the days I found my feet are not tired at all. As a matter of fact my body posture is better and less fatigue especially in the neck and shoulders than sitting all day.

  40. @Nutropx

    July 1, 2026 at 12:11 pm

    Great reminder that movement fuels the brain. Better circulation means better focus, memory, and mental performance.

  41. @pyroavok

    July 1, 2026 at 4:19 pm

    That must be why quite often at work I feel like getting up and sort of shadowboxing and dancing around a little bit, throw some punches, hop around on the balls of my feet; that kinda thing.

  42. @Maria.fernandasp

    July 1, 2026 at 5:26 pm

  43. @soniyasharma5524

    July 1, 2026 at 8:07 pm

    Me bhi youtube video bnati hu english me book review pe aap dekhna 😊

  44. @frazzy11

    July 1, 2026 at 10:13 pm

    Thanks for sharing this insightful research. Helpful reminder to keep movement sprinkled throughout the day. It would be interesting to compare intensive blocks of exercise on mood compared to short and spread out blocks of exercise throughout a day.

  45. @fhdbinary8070

    July 2, 2026 at 6:46 am

    Muslims are obliged to pray 5 times a day, truly our God is the most merciful

  46. @cathkas

    July 2, 2026 at 7:19 am

    Great info but let’s be sensitive to people who all around us work physical labor: people who pick our food, work retail, wait tables, landscape our lawns, build our homes, fix our plumbing, clean our buildings and homes, pace our streets. There is a whole strata of society that has to work hard all day every day. Too much of a good thing.

  47. @chasx401

    July 2, 2026 at 9:41 am

    I walk 15min after breakfast and 15min after lunch. It gets me out of the doldrums and invigorates me to get back to work as a software developer.

    • @chasx401

      July 2, 2026 at 9:42 am

      I guess 5min every hour would do something similar. I’ll have to try it out. I also park farther away and use stairs instead of elevators/escalators when I can

  48. @Nazi-7722

    July 2, 2026 at 10:19 am

    I needed it a lot
    Thank you so much 😊👍

  49. @StephenUSSChosin

    July 2, 2026 at 1:14 pm

    Look up the usage of “beg the question,” please

  50. @pelindali

    July 2, 2026 at 2:20 pm

    And the funny thing is that everywhere even in the doctors office or waiting room or littealy everywhere people insist to make you sit. It’s really annoying. I was already sitting the whole day, I don’t want to sit. My back hurts.

  51. @workbreakstretch

    July 2, 2026 at 4:33 pm

    I’m a huge fan (and advocate) of movement breaks! Whether it’s a short walk, a few bodyweight squats, some desk push-ups, dancing for a few minutes, or even doing seated exercises when it’s not realistic to get up, there’s no shortage of movement options! It’s just a matter of doing it…and yes, in the world we live in, that’s the hard part, but it is doable.

  52. @tremblingaspen

    July 2, 2026 at 7:20 pm

    Not denying that movement is good for you, but what employer is going to give you a 5 minute break every half hour?

  53. @warqaaalbakry7252

    July 2, 2026 at 8:26 pm

    This is great and very true!.
    Stitting for long periods is really damaging to our health and I experienced this myself.

  54. @Blessindisguise

    July 2, 2026 at 9:08 pm

    Great talk. I’ve been sick for two weeks first time in i can’t remember. And i swear after I’m recovered ill only be outside gym multiple times a day. Going on walks and so on.

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