What are the benefits of standing desks for office workers?

1. Standing reduces the risk of weight gain and obesity

Weight gain is ultimately caused by eating more calories than you burn. Conversely, burning more calories than you can lead to weight loss. While exercise is the most effective way to burn calories quickly, simply choosing to stand over sitting can also be beneficial. In fact, the equivalent amount of time spent standing has been shown to burn 170 times the extra calories compared to an afternoon at a sedentary job. Burning almost 1000 more calories per week just at your desk every day. This caloric difference may be one reason why prolonged sitting is so closely linked to obesity and metabolic disease.

2. Using a standing desk may lower blood sugar levels

In general, the more blood sugar levels rise after a meal, the worse it is for your health. This is especially true for those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. In a small study of 10 office workers, standing for 180 minutes after lunch reduced blood sugar rises by 43%, while sitting and waiting time varied. Both groups took the same steps, suggesting that the smaller spikes were due to standing rather than extra body movement around the office. Another study involving 23 office workers found that alternating between standing and sitting every 30 minutes throughout the workday reduced blood sugar spikes by an average of 11.1 percent. The harmful effects of sitting after meals may help explain why sedentary time is associated with a 112 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Research shows that using a standing desk at work can lower blood sugar levels, especially after lunch.

3. Standing may reduce heart disease risk

The idea that standing is good for heart health was first proposed in 1953. A study found that bus conductors who stood all day cut their risk of heart disease-related death in half compared with their colleagues in the driver's seat. Since then, scientists have gained a better understanding of the impact of sitting on heart health, with prolonged sitting believed to increase the risk of heart disease by as much as 147 percent. It's so harmful that even an hour of vigorous exercise can't make up for the negative effects of sitting all day.

There is no doubt that spending more time on your feet is good for your heart health.

It is widely believed that the longer you sit, the greater your risk of heart disease.

4. Standing desks seem to reduce back pain

Back pain is one of the most common complaints of office workers who sit all day. To determine whether standing desks can improve this condition, multiple studies were conducted on employees with chronic back pain. Participants reported up to 32 percent improvement in lower back pain after using the standing desk for a few weeks. Another study published by the CDC found that using a sit-stand desk reduced pain in the upper back and neck by 54 percent after just 4 weeks. Additionally, removing the standing desk could undo some of the improvements within 2 weeks.

Multiple studies have shown that standing desks can greatly reduce chronic back pain caused by prolonged sitting.

5. Standing desks help improve mood and energy levels

Standing desks appear to have a positive effect on overall health. In a 7-week study, participants who used standing desks reported less stress and fatigue than those who sat all day. Additionally, 87% of those who use a standing desk report increased energy and energy throughout the day. After returning to the original desk, the general mood returned to its original level. These findings dovetail with broader research into sitting posture and mental health, which links sedentary time with an increased risk of depression and anxiety.

A study found that standing desks can reduce stress and fatigue, while improving mood and energy levels.

6. Desks can even boost productivity

A common concern about standing desks is that they hinder everyday tasks, such as typing.

While standing each afternoon may take some getting used to, standing desks do not appear to have a significant impact on typical work tasks. In a study of 60 young office workers, using a standing desk for 4 hours a day had no effect on characters typed per minute or typing errors.

Considering that standing also improves mood and energy, using a standing desk is more likely to increase productivity than hinder it.

7. Standing more can help you live longer

The study found a strong link between increased sitting time and early death. This isn't surprising, given the strong link between type 2 diabetes and heart disease for sedentary time. In fact, a review of 18 studies found that those who sat the most were 49 percent more likely to die earlier than those who died the least. Another study estimated that reducing sitting time to 3 hours a day could increase the average American's life expectancy by 2 years. While these observational studies don't prove cause and effect, there is ample evidence that standing up more can prolong our lives.

Research shows that reducing sitting time can reduce your risk of premature death and therefore help you live longer.

Reducing sedentary time can improve physical, metabolic and even mental health. This is why sitting less and more is such an important lifestyle change.