When you go to work, you spend six out of eight hours sitting at your desk doing your daily tasks. Sitting for long periods has negative effects on your health, concentration, and productivity. We spend most of our day sitting, whether at work, during a commute, at home, or even when we go outside. Some people say that sitting is the new smoking as it is bad for one’s health in several ways. However, you don’t have to do intense physical training to keep your body healthy and in shape, as you can easily get a standing desk. Here are some reasons why a standing desk is a good choice and worth the investment.
Standing reduces the risk of heart disease
While doing physical activities or exercises is beneficial for health, they don’t compensate for prolonged sitting times. It is essential to stay active, even during work, as one hour of intense training isn’t enough to make up for a whole day of sitting. According to studies, the risk of heart diseases increases by up to 147% when you spend prolonged sedentary time. In the worst-case scenario, you may have a heart attack or stroke if you spend your whole day sitting for a long time. Standing while working will reduce the risk of heart disease as you keep your body active and enhance blood circulation.
Standing helps in weight loss
If you have noticed that you have gained weight recently, sitting is one reason for weight gain. Typically, regular exercise is the best way to lose weight and stay fit, but standing also helps, even if a little bit. When you stand for the same time as you sit, you burn an additional 170 calories. Though the number may seem small, if you keep standing every day, you will burn around 1000 calories per week, which is good enough to help you lose weight. You can take it up a notch and use a stationary bicycle or a treadmill to burn more calories while working.
Standing boosts mood and energy levels
If you have been sitting for hours, you will feel lazy and unmotivated. When you do physical activities, you feel you can do this all day, and your mood will be better. Standing gives you the energy boost you need to work without needing coffee. If you want a better mood and the motivation to do your tasks relentlessly, spend your time standing to enjoy these benefits without making much effort. In a 7-week study, 87% of the participants said they had more power and felt less fatigue and stress when using standing desks. Who would have thought that standing can benefit you that much?
Standing may increase productivity
Sitting is usually associated with relaxing, and sometimes we unconsciously feel relaxed or distracted when we work. While standing, you will feel more alert and energised, which will reflect in your productivity. Though the studies haven’t shown an increase in productivity while standing compared to sitting, they pointed out that the improvement in mood and energy levels makes employees more productive. Moreover, standing will incorporate more activities in your day as you will easily move to a colleague’s desk to discuss a project you are working on or even lunch plans.
Standing reduces back pain
Back pain is one of the most common complaints of employees who spend a long time sitting. Additionally, sitting in a bad posture will increase the risk of back or neck pain. However, it is difficult to have a bad posture while standing, even if you are hunched for a while. Maintaining a good posture while standing will improve the condition of your spine, neck, knees, shoulders, and ankles. Standing desks ensure that you stay standing and improve the muscles that hold up your weight. A study published by the CDC found that standing desks have reduced back and neck pain by 54% in 4 weeks, and these improvements were reversed when the participants switched back to sitting desks in only 2 weeks.
Several standing desks are adjustable, so you can switch between sitting and standing to relax and energise your body throughout the day. It is obvious that our health will significantly improve if we switch to standing desks. Changing your sedentary lifestyle to a more dynamic lifestyle will improve your health and may even help you live longer as the risks of having heart disease and other ailments will decrease. It is time to take a stand and make your health and life a priority.
Featured image: Unsplash
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