The Canadian research looked at the impact of lunch breaks. Academic John Trougakos surveyed a group of administrative workers, aged on average between 39 and 52.
They were asked how they spent their lunch breaks during a 10-day period, what choices they had, and about their subsequent levels of fatigue.
Co-workers were asked to rate the employees' job fatigue at the end of the day. Not surprisingly, people who relaxed, sat quietly or even slept during their breaks benefited by feeling less tired than those who did some work-related activity during their lunch periods.
But the research also showed that socialising was not as restful as might be expected. A US study from human resources consultants Right Management found that only one-third of employees take a lunch break, with 65% saying they eat at their desks.
In the UK, research by healthcare group Bupa in 2011 found just three in 10 employees were taking a lunch hour. More than one-third said they experienced pressure from managers to work through their lunch breaks, and 50% considered their workload prevented them from taking a break.
