It's no secret that we spend most of our days sitting. Many of us sit while studying, working, socialising... And with so many things in our lives being done on a computer, sedentary lifestyle is the most common side effect, becoming a serious threat to health in the last decades.
The Risks of Sedentary Lifestyle
Being in the same position, whether it's sitting or lying down for hours has its toll on our bodies. When we are inactive for long periods of time, our bodies don't burn a lot of calories, which means that it limits our energy. In other words, the more we sit and lay down, the less energy we have. This also means that sedentary behaviour increases our chances to gain weight. According to studies sitting can lead to obesity, since people with obesity sit much more than people with normal weight.
We often hear that sitting is the new smoking. This is because not only is sedentary lifestyle bad for your posture, provoking aches, but researches connect sedentary lifestyle to diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. According to some studies sitting for long periods of times, and inactive lifestyle are linked to early death.
Standing Desks against Sedentary Lifestyle
There are many ways to avoid sitting too much, and just exercising isn't enough. Walking, standing, fidgeting, cleaning... all of these can be a great way to fight against all the bad results of sedentary lifestyle.
For people that work on computers, such as office workers, or freelancers, probably the best solution is to get a stand desk, so that they can combine standing and sitting. Stand desks are becoming increasingly more popular amongst people whose work requires sitting a lot. Also called a standing or a standup desk, just as the names suggest, they are desks that allow you to work while standing, or to alternate between sitting and standing. They come in many different versions and styles, and in different designs.
Benefits of Working on Standing Desks
Knowing how harmful sitting is, there is no doubt that working on a stand desk promotes all kinds of health benefits. And what's more, it may even prolong your life – considering it's believed that sitting a lot is the silent killer of our time. However, that's not the only reason why they are often recommended, nor why so many people have started using them.
Promoting Healthier Lifestyle
By helping you avoid sitting for a long time in the same position, standing desks will have a great positive impact on your body. Back, neck and shoulder pain, and many other aches provoked by constant sitting – have been known to reduce soon after people start using stand up desks. Furthermore, standing promotes better heart health, and some researchers suggest that it may lower sugar blood levels.
Helping Weight Control
Though standing will not help you lose weight per se, if you alternate standing and sitting, instead of spending hours and hours sitting, it could help you regulate or manage your weight – which is another health benefit of this ingenious invention. This is because, as abovementioned, your body burns more calories while standing, than while sitting.
Decreasing Stress Levels
Maybe as a result of all the physical benefits, standing desks also seem to decrease stress levels in people using them. Reducing stress, also means lowering the risk of stress-related mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression.
Improving Mood
One thing you can be sure of if you decide to buy standing desk, is that you are investing in your overall wellbeing. As we said, not only is it good for your physical health, but it's also good for your mental health, and it even helps you use much more of the potential of your cognitive abilities, all of which is probably why working standing has been proven to be a great way to improve mood.
Boosting Energy and Productivity
Another benefit is that since when you are standing your body burns more calories than when you are sitting – standing desks show increased energy throughout the day. Furthermore, they will have a very positive impact on your job, regarding both the quality and the efficiency of your work. This is because as a result of the mental health benefits – the improved mood, the lower stress levels, the increase of energy levels – working on an ergonomic standing desk is likely to boost productivity.
The Right Way to Use Standing Desks
Knowing that sitting is a health issue, people often assume that standing for 8 hours instead of sitting for 8 hours is better. The key, as with everything in life, is balance. Standing still for hours can not only lead to aches, but it may even have negative impact on your health, and your mood, defeating the purpose of the standing desk.
Of course, there are ways to fight this. One of them is to take walks from time to time, since most people tend to tense up when they concentrate, sometimes not changing their position for long periods of time.
The other way is to alternate between sitting and standing. According to some people, alternating between sitting and standing while you work can be even more beneficial then simply choosing one over the other. One of the reasons is because it ensures better blood circulation – meaning your brain will get more oxygen. And more oxygen in your brain means optimal function: better mood, better focus and better work quality. Furthermore, appropriate variation between sitting and standing burns more calories, boosts energy.
However, whatever you decide, whether it's to stick with sitting, change to standing or alternate between the two, there are two very important things to have in mind. It's crucial to take quality breaks from work, regardless of the way you work: for instance, take a walk during your break. And, of course, the most important thing, if you want the benefits and if you want to avoid further negative effects of sitting or standing, is to learn to do both properly.
