Sitting all day may seem like it’s harmless, but did you know that sitting for over 8 hours at a time can increase your risk of various health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure? Luckily, there are plenty of ways to counteract the negative effects of sitting, such as standing or walking, besides working.
Standing desks are one way to reduce sitting time, which can be beneficial for your health. Standing desks allow workers to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day, which has been found to help reduce weight gain, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease. While standing, your upper body is engaged, your posture is better, and your circulation is improved.
Here are a few of the benefits of working while standing up:
It reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease
Working while standing burns more calories than sitting and has been linked to a lower risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. This is because it is easier for your body to metabolise fat while standing rather than when you are sitting. When we sit, our bodies compensate by increasing muscle tone and circulating blood more slowly. When standing, the opposite happens—muscle tone relaxes and blood circulates more quickly.
It helps improve your posture
Standing allows your shoulders and torso to be aligned correctly, which could help prevent back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. It can also relieve the stress on your ankles, knees, and hips. This is because when we sit, our hips and legs become flexed, putting a significant amount of pressure on our knees and ankles. Standing up allows for more freedom of movement in these areas.
Also, standing for long periods of time can help you avoid future back pain because it can reduce stiffness and help improve your posture. If you have to do a lot of standing during the day, it’s best to alternate between standing and sitting every 20 minutes.
It improves your circulation
The more you move, the better your blood circulates. The impact of standing on circulation is so significant that in some cases it can increase blood flow by as much as 47%. When we move around during the day, muscle tone throughout the body is increased and blood flow is increased. When we take a break from working, this same effect happens. This can help improve your brain function because when arterial blood flow is increased, it improves oxygen delivery to the brain and helps to speed up cognitive processes.
It reduces fatigue and makes you feel productive
Fatigue is one of the major causes of workplace injuries. When you are tired, you are more likely to make a mistake that can be harmful and costly to both your health and your business. Alternating between standing and sitting throughout the day keeps you alert and energised.
Workers who stand for long periods of time feel more productive and that can cause better work performance. This is because standing stimulates more blood flow to the brain, which improves oxygen delivery to the brain and speeds up cognitive processes. When we are standing, our bodies can burn more calories than when sitting. For example, the standing position burns 150 calories an hour compared to just 80 calories an hour when sitting.
How to get started
For a fuss-free way to get started, create your ergonomic workstation with a sit/stand desk converter for your current setup. You can set up your desk in a way that easily allows you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
If you have the space, go for a fully adjustable standing desk so you can adjust the height to your liking at the press of a button. You can easily adjust the position of your monitor and keyboard to the right height, which is easier on your eyes and neck.
Finally, choose a chair that’s adjustable as well as supportive so you can move freely during your sitting periods.
In summary, standing desks allow you to work more efficiently with less neck and back pain. The biggest benefits for working while standing is watching your posture, blood flow, and core muscles. Standing desks reduce fatigue and pain. They improve blood flow and circulation, which benefits the heart and muscles.
With all of this in mind, it is important that you remember to maintain a good posture when using a standing desk. Otherwise, you could end up with back problems and other complications. Make sure you take breaks throughout the day to avoid fatigue and keep your productivity up. You should try standing for at least 15 minutes per hour you work, which is roughly 30 minutes per eight hours of sitting.
