There are a lot of people who wonder if they should be using a standing desk. These desks have been gaining popularity, but before you commit to using one, you need to know about the benefits they provide. There are a range of benefits that will impact your physical and mental health.
Lowering Weight Gain And Obesity
A common problem that office workers face is weight gain and obesity. This comes from the inactivity related to working at a desk all day and the limited movement they get. This is where a standing desk can help.
Weight gain will occur when you intake more calories than you burn during the day. Exercise is the best way to burn calories, but this is not something that you can do during the day at your job or something many people feel like doing after work. Choosing to stand instead of sit is actually enough to make a dent in the difference between the calories you ingest and the ones that you burn.
Research has found that a single afternoon spent standing while working will burn 170 calories more than sitting. Each week, this will equate to an additional 1000 calories being burnt without you having to actually do anything. A standing desk will force you to lose these calories and will help reduce the chances of weight gain.
Lower Blood Sugar And Cholesterol Levels
The University of Queensland in Australia completed a study looking into the effect of standing on blood sugar and cholesterol. The study found that just 2 hours of standing instead of sitting per day will lower blood sugar levels by up to 2%. The average triglycerides in the blood were lowered by 11% using the same amount of standing time.
The 2 extra hours of standing time has also been linked to a decrease in bad cholesterol. The amount of good HDL cholesterol was also shown to have increased when participants were standing instead of sitting. Using a standing desk could help you maintain a normal blood sugar and cholesterol level which is essential for overall good health.
There has been another study which looked at the blood sugar levels of office workers who alternated between standing and sitting. This study found that blood sugar spikes were reduced b an average of 11.1%. This is one of the reasons why many people recommend that you get a standing desk which is adjustable and can turn into a standard desk as well.
Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease
1953 was the first time that the idea that standing is better for your heart health was proposed. A study was done to verify if this was the case and was completed using bus conductors who all stood all day. This study found that the bus conductors had half the risk for heart disease compared to the bus drivers who were sitting all day.
Since this initial study, more research has been done to look into the link between standing and heart disease risks. The subsequent studies have found that prolonged sedentary time will increase the risk of heart disease by approximately 147%. The harm of this is believed to be so great that even an hour of intense workout will not make up for the negative effects.
The use of a standing desk from Desk View will help you reduce the amount of sedentary time when working. Standing will help you avoid the negative effects of office work on your heart. Of course, you will also need to look at moving away from the desk during the day to get the most from them.
Reduction Of Back Pain
One of the most common health complaints that office workers have is back pain. There are a number of way that you can reduce back pain and many people do not realize that a standing desk can do this. There are a number of studies which have been done to look at the pain relief that these desks can provide.
The studies done had participants who suffered from long-term back pain. The participants in the studies reported a 32% improvement in lower back pain after numerous weeks of using the standing desks. There is another study which was completed by the CDC that found standing desks were able to help with upper back pain and neck pain as well. The participants in this study stated that after 4 weeks their pain was reduced by approximately 54%.
Improving Energy Levels And Mood
Standing desks do not only affect your physical health, but your mental health as well. There is one study which was conducted over 7 weeks which verified this. The study found that using a standing desk was able to reduce stress and fatigue. This was compared to other participants who remained seated throughout the study period.
In this same study, 87% of the participants using standing desks stated that they had more energy and vigor throughout the day. These participants found that when they returned to their usual desks, the increased moods they felt returned to their original levels. The findings from these studies have confirmed the link between sitting for prolonged periods of time and anxiety as well as depression.
A Boost To Productivity
Another way that a standing desk can help you mentally is through your productivity. Most people are concerned that a standing desk will make them less productive because certain tasks like typing might be harder. However, this is actually the opposite as these desks can make you more productive once you have become used to them.
A study done with 60 young office workers found that the use of a standing desk for 4 hours of the day did not have any impact on the number of characters typed. When you consider the standing will help your mood and energy, it is easy to see that productivity will also be improved.
There are many reasons why you should look at using a standing desk. The benefits that these desks offer will help your overall health from lowering blood sugar levels to boosting your mood.