Looking to Instantly Improve Your Office Setting? Try a Standing Desk

• Author: Mary Singleton
• Posted: 2024-09-10

One of the hottest trends in office design is the standing desk. This type of desk allows you to stand up as you go about your workday, even if this is in a traditional office setting. Most of these desks are adjustable, meaning that you can easily toggle the height of the desk to alternate between the standing and sitting positions. This gives you a great amount of flexibility throughout your day.

Is a standing desk a good choice for you? Recent research has shown that the use of a standing desk for part of your day can provide a number of health benefits. Here are just a few of those benefits.

Reduce the Incidence of Back Pain

Many office workers routinely complain of back pain. It is easy to see how sitting all day hunched over your desk can do a number on your back, neck, and spine. There have been numerous studies that have examined if the use of standing desks could reduce back pain in those who complain of this issue. The results have overwhelmingly shown that using a standing desk can significantly reduce the incidence of back and neck issues.

Boost Productivity

Although there is a slight learning curve to figuring out how to best use your standing desk, you will soon get the hang of the action of typing and performing other tasks from this position. Once people master this task, they will find that their productivity does not suffer because they are standing. In fact, because you are less likely to zone out when standing, your productivity will improve as a result.

Mitigates Weight Gain

While it does not seem like it, you burn a substantially greater amount of calories while standing up compared to when sitting down. This means that you will naturally burn more calories when you are using your standing desk. This easy calorie burn will translate into less weight gain. You do not have to be a medical professional to understand that controlling your weight is a key factor in boosting your overall health and wellness.

Lower Blood Sugar Levels

One of the most surprising benefits of using a desk is that it has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels. Standing after eating a meal can reduce your blood sugar levels, helping you to control symptoms of type 2 diabetes. This effect is particularly apparent if you commit to using the standing desk in the hour after you eat lunch when blood sugar levels tend to spike.

Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

In addition to reducing blood sugar levels, using a standing desk can also lower your risk of developing heart disease. While this effect is not directly attributed to using a standing desk, it has been a widely regarded fact for years that standing is better than sitting when it comes to your heart health. By using a standing desk, you will be more likely to get up out of your seat and move your body at regular intervals throughout the day.

Improve Mood and Energy

Making an effort to stand up during the day can also boost your mood and improve energy levels. It seems clear that using a standing desk will reduce levels of fatigue. Because your body has to work harder when standing, you will see a renewed sense of vigor. In a recent survey of those using standing desks, the participants reported less stress and higher levels of energy than when they simply sit at their desks to work.

Regardless of if your office is located in a traditional corporate setting or you work at home, adding a standing desk to your workspace can deliver a wealth of benefits. You owe it to your health to consider ways that you can take small steps that will add up over time. Even if the benefits of using the standing desk are not particularly substantial in your personal case, you can certainly negate the poor health effects that come from sitting all day by using this type of equipment.

The bottom line is that there are no reported ill effects of using a standing desk. It does not hurt to try it to see if this type of work arrangement will prove to be beneficial for your personal needs and working style.