Brain research conducted in the past decade has found that moving from a sitting position to a standing position increases oxygen to the brain by 15 to 20 percent and that more oxygen in the brain means better learning.

"It's as simple as that," says Sharon Bowman, president of Bowperson Publishing & Training and author of Using Brain Science to Make Training Stick, her latest book.

"Movement—any kind of motion—increases oxygen to the brain, thereby giving the brain a cognitive boost. Conversely, sitting for extended lengths of time makes thinking and learning more difficult to do because the oxygen levels in the body decrease," Bowman explains.

She maintains that trainers need to build in opportunities for learners to move around during training. For example, have a "body break" at least every 10 to 20 minutes, trainees should be encouraged to:

• Stand and stretch; 
• Turn and talk to those around them; 
• Bend and write; 
• Wiggle their arms and legs; or 
• Roll their heads and shoulders.