Why would someone want a standing desk?

Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. … See Full Bio

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Did you know that there are studies linking sitting and dying early?

Spending too much time sitting down for work or leisure could get you sick. It could be the reason behind your stress and depression. Sitting too much could cause you fatigue instead of letting you relax.

This is bad because office workers tend to spend most of their time sitting and typing away. If so, is there a solution that prevents them from sitting?

Yes, and we call that solution a standing desk.

These desks let you place your computer in a higher place so that you're standing while working. You can also write or read on these desks. They're pretty much like an ordinary one, except that you can adjust them according to your height.

This solves a lot of problems that studies have associated with sitting. What are those problems? Read on to find out!

#1 Lowers Obesity Risk and Prevents Weight Gain

Sitting for long periods of time has links to obesity and weight gain. This is because sitting prevents the circulation of an enzyme in our body that absorbs fat.

One way to counter this is by exercising more often. For office workers who don't have the time, standing helps a great deal because it starts the circulation of the fat-absorbing enzyme.

Researcher James Levine conducted a test by adding 1,000 calories on the diet of a group of office workers. The study found that there were those who didn't gain any weight at all. These are the ones who walked and stood up for 2 hours and 25 minutes or less than their coworkers.

#2 Normalize Blood Sugar Levels

In the sitting position, our bodies produce high levels of insulin. This is one of the reasons why they say that sitting after a meal is bad, which is when blood sugar spikes.

Standing allows insulin to better process glucose. This means that the pancreas won't need to overproduce the hormone. We recommend around 3 hours of using a standing desk after lunch to have better blood sugar levels.

#3 Lowers Cancer Risk

Studies have shown that sitting leads to a greater risk of different types of cancer. We don't know the reason yet in full, but we do know that movements boost anti-oxidants that combat free radicals, which can cause cancer.

Sitting for 6 hours or more increases the risks, which spells bad news for office workers. A standing desk solves this problem, as well as stretching and walking often.

#4 Lowers Heart Disease Risk

A study in the 1950's found that bus conductors have 50% less risk of dying from heart diseases than bus drivers. And what do they do that's different? They're always standing at work.

Scientists dug deeper and found that prolonged sitting increases the risk up to 147%. The more you sit, the greater the risk of heart disease.

#5 Improves Posture

Have bad posture? Sitting most of the time may be the culprit.

Standing while working helps improve posture. Make sure that you set up your standing desk in a way that your computer screen is at eye level. This prevents hunching, and the desk prevents you from slouching.

Standing also helps improve your body's core strength. This can lead to a better posture overall.

#6 Reduces Back and Neck Pain

A better posture also means reduced back pain, a common problem among office workers. There's also a CDC study from 2011 that confirmed the use of an upright desk as a way to lessen back pain.

The participants reduced their sitting time by only an hour. Yet, they experienced reduced back and neck pain by 54% in just 4 weeks. Removing the desk from the equation reversed the effects in just 2 weeks.

#7 Improves Mood Throughout the Day

The same study also found that the participants using standing desks experienced improved mood states. Standing releases endorphins, the hormone responsible for the feeling of euphoria.

Just standing doesn't make the body produce high levels, though. It doesn't compare to the levels of endorphins that more physically-demanding activities like exercise and sex produce. However, standing does provide a steady stream of this hormone, which is enough to stay in a good mood.

#8 Boosts Energy Levels

Are you thinking that standing for hours might tire you out? Don't worry because the act will even increase your energy.

Of all the participants in the 2011 CDC study, mentioned above, 87% felt more energized. They reported less fatigue and more vigor throughout the day.

A standing desk enables your blood to flow. As a consequence, blood is able to deliver more oxygen to your muscles. This makes you feel less tired and more pumped up for a longer time.

#9 Boosts Productivity

The improved mood and energy levels then enable an individual to perform at their best state. A study in a call center measured the productivity levels of its employees. Researchers pitted those who used upright desks against the agents who remained seated.

The study found that the standing desk users were 45% more productive on a daily basis. Productivity further increased over months of use. In the first month, it increased to 23% and 54% in the next 6 months.

If you need to get work done and avoid all distractions that waste time and effort, an upright desk is the best option out there.

#10 Lengthens Your Lifespan

Avoiding fatal diseases and regulating your stress will increase your lifespan. In fact, the American Cancer Society in 2010 found that sitting more than 6 hours a day increased the risk of dying prematurely.

The risk is greater by 37% for women and 18% for men who live a sedentary lifestyle. They compared these to people who sit less than 3 hours a day.

There are also what we call telomeres in our DNA strands. Whenever the cell divides, they shorten until they cannot divide anymore.

This occurs with aging. But a sedentary lifestyle results to shorter ones, which means a shorter life.

Get Your Standing Desk Now

If you're experiencing back pain or you're always behind your work, try a standing desk. Our website also has other ergonomic products to help you stay in your best shape while working.

Contact us now! We'd love to hear about your concerns and questions!