Stair-Walking Provides A Quick Pick-Me-Up When Fatigued

Ten minutes of walking up and down stairs can be more energizing than ingesting a can of soda containing 50 mg of caffeine, according to U.S. scientists who compared the metabolic effects of both activities. Several self-described “sleep-deprived” female college students were divided into groups and given various tests to determine how they felt and how they performed on cognitive tasks. They then either ingested capsules containing caffeine or a placebo, or spent 10 minutes walking up and down stairs. Stair walking was associated with a small increase in motivation for work and may be a beneficial aternative to other forms of exercise when time is at a premium.