An office desk is an essential element in every workplace. The office table is not only important for writing, keeping files and documents, and perhaps holding a computer system, but it also provides a focal point for an entire workspace.
A standard office desk is designed to make your work tasks as comfortable as possible. However, sitting at your table throughout your work hours isn't ideal, especially for your physical health; hence the innovation of the sit-stand desk.
A sit-stand desk, also referred to as a height-adjustable or standing desk, enables you to alternate between sitting and standing while carrying out your official duties. This way, you won't have to worry about the detrimental effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
In this article, we’ll go over exciting facts and figures about standing and how they relate to height-adjustable desks. This piece will also highlight some benefits of using this furniture in your office.
Below are a few interesting pieces of information about standing and height-adjustable desks.
1. Standing can increase your lifespan
Yes, you read that right - using a standing desk can make you live longer and improve your quality of life.
For individuals who spend most of their daily hours doing office tasks, sitting may seem like the ideal position to do their work. But the harsh reality is that sitting for more than 6 hours a day can shorten one’s lifespan by 40%.
Standing, on the other hand, is a relatively healthier position to carry out your work duties. Luckily, a standing desk is specifically designed to aid your workflow while you are on your feet.
2. Standing desks help burn calories
Did you know that you can burn an average of 50 calories per hour just by standing? Yes, you can! In fact, a study on a particular group of people found that standing burned about 88 calories per hour; this shows that you can keep fit at work and manage your weight with an ergonomic standing workstation.
3. Alleviates muscle degeneration
Typically, fewer muscles are active when you are in a sitting position. Hence, some muscle groups can become shortened, while some may even go completely dormant; this condition is called disuse or physiologic atrophy.
It is a result of under-utilising a group of muscles in the body. And the easiest way to correct this condition is by a healthy diet and exercise. After all, physical activities, like standing, walking and stretching, engage more muscles than sitting.
That said, using an active standing desk for work will help you stretch your muscles as you switch between standing and sitting positions at regular intervals.
4. Standing desks helps you stay alert
A few years back, there were arguments about adopting standing desks in schools, as a study found that they improve attentiveness in students.
As inferred earlier, the standing position involves the use of more muscles, causing an increase in awareness and alertness. These enhanced qualities can, in turn, improve your concentration and even improve your work productivity.
In essence, utilizing a height-adjustable desk doesn't only contribute to your physical health but also adds immense benefits to your mental and cognitive health.
5. Reduces back pain
Persistent backaches are pretty common in individuals who have a sedentary work lifestyle. After all, spending long hours on one’s seat is more likely to cause a strain on the lower back.
While a back-support office chair is quite effective in correcting your sitting posture at work, using an ergonomic sit-stand desk is better in transforming your somewhat stagnant work lifestyle into a more active one.
Furthermore, an ergonomic standing desk will help ensure that your spine is straight while you carry out your office duties conveniently, alleviating the pressure on your lower back.
6. Keeps heart conditions at bay
While it may seem simple on the surface, alternating between sitting and standing positions can work wonders on your cardiovascular health. You can minimise your risk of heart conditions by employing the use of a height-adjustable desk.
In fact, the University of California’s study on a group of women found that individuals with a sedentary lifestyle have the highest risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and so on, in the future.
It is, however, important to note that sitting and standing for long hours can negatively impact your heart’s health. Hence, it would help if you learnt how to alternate between sitting and standing while carrying out your office tasks.
Final Thoughts
With the information above, it is clear that a sedentary work lifestyle is not ideal for your overall well-being in the long run. Hence, you will need to set up your workspace in a way such that switching between standing and sitting positions won’t disrupt your workflow.
Check out FlexiSpot’s desk catalogue today to purchase a suitable height-adjustable desk for your office space.
