Technology undoubtedly revolutionised the world, but we had to pay the price with our health. The more our lives become simpler, the less we are moving. This sedentary lifestyle leads us to many health problems. Pretty much anyone knows that sitting for long hours causes some severe health problems over the years. To overcome those health problems, offices can resort to standing desks, also called standup desks.
A standing desk is a work desk that allows one to stand up while comfortably working on it. Sitting all the time reduces the number of burnt calories and is also linked with diabetes and obesity. You can stand up and move around while working on a standing desk, leading to more calorie burn. More companies around the world should include standing desks in their office furniture.
Now let’s take a look at five of the crucial health benefits of standup desks.
- Lower Risk of Heart Diseases
Sitting reduces physical movement, increasing the possibilities of heart diseases. On the other hand, standing desks allow you to work while standing up and encourage more physical movement like walking and moving around. With little more physical activities like a brisk walk or stretching can further improve cardiovascular health.
- More Calories Burnt
As mentioned before, standup desks promote more physical movement. The act of standing up burns more calories than sitting. And if the activity of standing up is accompanied by other exercises like walking around, stretching, etc., it can burn more calories. Offices with a fast work culture and a moving workforce can benefit a lot with the standing desks as there will be speedier office operations and processes.
- Reduced Back and Neck Pain
Office working employees constantly complain about severe back pain caused by sitting for an extended time. Several studies were done to understand the benefits of standing desks over sitting desks, which yield very positive results. Research showed that the office employees using standing desks experienced substantially reduced upper and lower back and neck pain as compared to employees with sitting desks.
- Standing Can Boost Productivity Too
Standing desks encourage productivity by keeping the user energetic and more fresh than sitting. Working while standing up doesn’t affect the employees’ daily tasks; moreover, it promotes a good mood and energy. It also boosts the energy and morale of employees and hence more productivity.
- Promotes Lower Blood Sugar Levels
It is known that blood sugar level spikes after having a meal. According to a study done on office employees, the employees who stood for around 180 minutes after their lunch experienced a reduction in blood sugar spike by 43% compared to the employees who were sitting after lunch for the same amount of time.
These health benefits clearly show how standup desks are a healthier option than sitting desks. The transition from the sitting desks to the standing desks should be done gradually. It’s high time that more companies need to go for standing desks as a part of their work culture. It will not only keep the employees healthy but also boosts productivity too. It’s also a good choice for the people who are working from home or with a home office.
