Height adjustable desks can have a much bigger impact on health than you might think, and conversely, sitting for long periods of time can have serious negative effects in the long run. We’re here to take you through the benefits of height-adjustable desks and why adapting at work to ensure less time sitting can improve your health.
A height-adjustable desk allows you to alternate between sitting and standing, and the general recommendation is that you should split sitting and standing 50/50. So why is movement and reducing sitting time so important?
Back pain is one of the most common complaints from employees who sit for the majority of their day. To determine whether desks can improve this situation, several studies have been conducted on employees with chronic back pain. Participants reported that after using a standing table for several weeks, lower back pain was reduced considerably.. Introducing a height-adjustable desk can also reduce upper back and neck pain over a few weeks of usage.
2. Standing Desks Help Improve Mood and Energy Levels
Mental health studies link a sedentary lifestyle with increased risks of depression and anxiety. Standing desks play a part in reducing stress and fatigue while improving mood and energy levels, and appear to have a positive effect on overall well-being. The majority of those who use standing desks at work experience increased alertness and energy throughout the day.
3. Standing Lowers Your Risk of Weight Gain and Obesity
Weight gain is due to the intake of more calories than the calories consumed. Although exercise is the most effective way to burn calories quickly, choosing to stand instead of sitting can also contribute. Compared to sitting down after lunch, you burn more calories in your legs by standing. You can burn 1,000 calories a week by simply standing at the desk every day. This difference in calories may be one of the reasons why sedentary behaviour is closely related to obesity and metabolic disorders.
4. Using a Standing Desk May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
In general, the more your blood sugar rises after eating, the worse it is for your health. Standing for an hour after lunch reduced peak blood glucose significantly compared to sitting. Alternating between standing and sitting every 30 minutes during the working day proves to have a significant benefit in reducing peak blood glucose too.
5. Standing Desks May Even Boost Productivity
Standing whilst working can take some getting used to and it isn’t uncommon to see a slight decrease in productivity initially. Once you acclimatise to standing, however, it is more likely to increase productivity than hinder it.
If you want to increase health, lose weight, improve your mood at work or attempt to increase your productivity it might be time to try a height-adjustable desk. This will give you the option of sitting, standing or ideally splitting your time between the two. Contact us today and we’ll help you find the right desk!
