Home Office Health and Fitness: You Should Try A Stand-Up Desk
By Michael Gorman
Have you been thinking of working while standing at your desk? If yes, this article is ideal for you. In recent years, a lot of people have been talking about the benefits of a standing desk. Now that we are in the middle of a pandemic, it’s especially important to consider investing in a stand-up desk.
A stand-up desk allows you to work at your desk while standing instead of sitting on a chair. You can convert your regular desk into a standing desk or invest in a custom-built one. Productivity and performance have soared on standing desks than the conventional ones.
Personally, I think it’s a great idea – not having to sit all day staring at your computer screen will enhance your focus, productivity, and performance. Apart from productivity, standing all day takes more effort. And this helps you manage your weight. The number of calories that you’d lose over a couple of weeks or months will be astonishing.
A study conducted by the Journal of Physical Activity and Health found that people who stand frequently burn 24 more calories than those who remain sitting all day long. Therefore, if you’ve been looking for simple ways to manage your weight at home, this is one of the best ways to achieve your goal.
Benefits of a stand-up desk
There are a lot of health benefits associated with stand-up desks. All the benefits that we are going to discuss here are supported by scientific studies.
1. Standing reduces the risk of obesity and weight gain
Weight gain is a result of taking in more calories than you can burn over time. On the other hand, weight loss is a result of burning more calories than you take in. Apart from exercising regularly, choosing to stand while working can help you manage your weight.
As we have seen, people who work while standing burn more calories than those who work on a chair because more energy is needed. Sitting for longer has been linked to metabolic diseases and obesity.
2. Standing desk lowers blood sugar levels
The higher the blood sugar level after a meal, the higher the risk of getting life-threatening diseases like diabetes. This is especially true for people with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance. A study involving ten participants in an office found that standing for three hours after lunch reduced the blood sugar levels by 43 percent compared to sitting for the same duration.
Another study involving 23 participants found that alternating between sitting and standing every half hour throughout the day reduced blood sugar levels by an average of 11.1 percent. Sitting after meals harms your health and increases the risk of weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
3. Standing lowers the risk of heart disease
The idea that standing is good for the heart was proposed for the first time in 1953. Since then, scientists have been conducting extensive research on the subject. Prolonged sedentary time is thought to increase the risk of heart disease by 147 percent. It is so dangerous that an hour of intense exercise cannot make up for side effects. Spending more time on your feet will improve your heart health.
4. Standing desks reduce back pain
Back pain is a common complaint about most office workers who spend most of their time sitting. To find out if standing desks can reduce or eliminate back pain, several studies have been conducted on workers with long-term back pain.
Participants who worked while standing reported a 32 percent improvement in back pain after several weeks. Another study conducted by the CDC found that standing desks reduced neck and back pain by 54 percent in under four weeks. Standing desks can reduce back pain resulted from prolonged sitting.
5. Standing desks improves mood and energy levels
Standing desks have proven to have a positive influence on the health and overall wellbeing of workers. A seven-week study found that participants who worked while standing reported less fatigue, anxiety, and stress compared to those who remained seated all day long.
Further, 87 percent of those who worked while standing reported feeling more energized and happy. Upon returning to their regular desks, their overall mood reverted to normal. These findings have helped to prove that sedentary time increases the risk of anxiety and depression.
6. Standing more increases your lifespan
Studies have shown that there is a strong link between longer sitting time and early death. This should not surprise you given the close link between sedentary time with heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
People who sit longer are 49 percent more likely to die early than those who work while standing. Another study found that reducing sitting time by as much as three hours every day would raise a person’s life expectancy by two years. While these studies are only observational, standing more can increase your lifespan.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long should you stand while working?
If you’ve been wondering how long you should remain standing while working, the University of Waterloo has an answer for you. You should stand for at least thirty minutes every hour to enjoy the health benefits in the long run.
2. What is the best way to stand?
You need to alternate between sitting and standing during your workday. Studies have shown that people who work while standing such as production line employees, bank tellers, and sales agents suffer from fatigue and chronic back pain. Since you don’t want to stand or sit for a long time alternating between the two will help you enjoy the best of both worlds.
It’s also important to adjust your desk and monitor accordingly. There are a few factors that you should consider when organizing your sit-stand workstation. They include your height, workstation height, and computer size. Ideally, your eye level should be above your monitor. You should also maintain a straight posture while working to avoid hurting your back and fatigue. The distance between the computer and your body should be enough to make you feel comfortable while working.
3. Are there any disadvantages of a stand-up desk?
Like everything in life, there are a few disadvantages of using a standing desk while working. Studies show that you may start experiencing ankles and calves pain since standing for a long time exerts too much pressure on your feet.
You might also feel more exhausted than the person who’s sitting on a chair because you are using more energy. Therefore, you should be cautious when using standing desks. Instead of standing for hours, you should consider taking baby steps and increasing your time gradually. Alternating between sitting and standing is the way to go for every beginner.
Conclusion
Standing desks offer a wide range of health benefits that cannot be ignored. You need to invest in a high-quality sit-stand desk especially now that you are working from home. Sitting for too long has serious negative effects that cannot be undone by intense exercises and workout programs.
It’s important to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day to avoid hurting yourself. Take good care of yourself by getting adequate sleep, drinking enough water, and taking short breaks during the day. Once you get used to standing, you’ll start enjoying the health benefits that we’ve discussed.
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Michael Gorman is a highly skilled assignment writer and proofreader from the UK who currently works at professional writer service and best uk essay writing service. Being interested in everyday development, he writes various blog posts and discovers new aspects of human existence everyday. Feel free to contact him via Facebook or check his Twitter.