When your boss barks at you and questions your performance at work, or you just had a bad day where everything seemed to go wrong, it’s easy to bring that sour mood back home with you. And when you’re particularly rundown and heated, that can boil over into an argument with your roommates or girlfriend—which sucks on all fronts.
Luckily, it’s easy enough to extinguish those flames: Make sure you take an exercise break during the work day and get enough restful sleep—7 to 9 hours—at night, according to a new study from the University of Central Florida.
Researchers tracked the sleep patterns and physical activity of 118 people with full-time jobs and found that those who logged around 11,000 steps a day and snoozed soundly were less likely to blow up when they got home from work. They also noticed burning through an extra 587 calories a day also attenuated the desire to mistreat your loved ones at home, which equates to an hour of swimming or a vigorous 90-minute walk.
“The findings are particularly compelling given recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Heart Association to walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day,” said study author Shannon Taylor, Ph.D., an associate professor at Central Florida. “I also think the study gives us a new perspective on the importance of getting an adequate amount of sleep and exercise. It’s not just good for you, it’s good for your spouse, too.”
For some new and stimulating quick workouts you can add to your lunch break or before you make your way back home, check out these 5 weight-loss routines.
