Before exploring the advantages of a standing desk, we need to know what one is, and surprisingly it is pretty self-explanatory. The desk itself does not require a chair (though an individual can still alternate between using one), and many modern versions are adjustable so that a person can stand comfortably while working. An adjustable standing desk has height adjustment features so you can stand comfortably. The standing desk has become more popular within recent years, most likely due to the proven health benefits they could gain from using one. Let’s look at a few and why they are beneficial.
Sitting for long periods of time has always been linked to bad back posture. Most people who work at a desk will have, at one point, suffered with some type of back pain. This may be brought on by the fact that an individual will have inadvertently become hunched or slouched over in their chair. Over a long period of time this could potentially cause spinal misalignment and chronic back and neck pain. The standing desk can help avoid this issue as a person would be able to adjust the desk height to their liking while keeping their back posture corrected.
When standing up your body is working more than what it would be sitting down, even if you can’t really notice. This small amount of work allows the body to very slightly exercise and while it might not seem like much, the number of calories an individual would burn through the week from standing all can significantly lower the risk of weight gain and obesity. Even better, it has been proven that more time spent on your feet can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease. Eating food, depending on your diet, can cause a spike in glucose levels leading to increased chances of developing diabetes. To combat this, replacing sitting with standing after your lunch is recommended as studies show that this will lower your average blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Sitting in a chair all day has been linked to an individual feeling more depressed as there is not much stimulation happening in the body causing the mind to sour. Whereas standing allows for a person to feel more energized as blood is less restricted and able to move around and oxygenize the body more freely. A person who is feeling less stressed and fatigued throughout the day is more likely to feel healthier and have increased mental awareness, and become more productive with their actions and workload. It has been proven that working while in a good mood increases productivity.
It is important to choose a good standing desk. One that is adjustable and has good reviews. You should look online for good standing desk brands like Autonomous. They also offer an Autonomous promo code which gives discounts for their products.
In conclusion, Though some skills such as typing may require some fine tuning when adapting to a standing desk, the long term effects will outweigh that cost. You don’t have to stand up all the time but it would be better to alternate between standing and chair use at your desk. That way you can gain a large portion of the available benefits the standing desk has to offer, train yourself to stand up longer day by day and also give your legs a small rest so that they don’t become overworked and full of aches and pain.
