The concept of standing desk has exploded in popularity over the past few years. But as with any trend, there are always going to be people that have opinions both for and against them. We’re going to take a look at the 8 pros of standing desks that we don’t talk about as much.
- Increased Work Productivity
When you’re at work, what are you doing? Somewhere along the way, we stopped working on our computers and have gotten distracted by other activities. However, studies have shown that productivity tends to be much better with a standing desk. Also, not only does working at a standup desk increase productivity, but it has been shown to cut down on the time that you spend chained to your office chair.
- Increased Health and Mood
The second pro of standing desks is that they greatly help with your health, both mentally and physically. Numerous studies have shown that sitting for long periods of time greatly impacts your health. Prolonged exposure of sitting at a desk can raise your risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease. In addition, research from the University of Missouri found that people who sit for long periods had lower immune responses than those standing while working.
- Increased Ability to Focus/Attention Span
Studies have shown that when you’re standing up, your brain is more in optimal focus. The reason behind this is that standing desks force you to use two of your senses: kinesthetic (moving your body) and visual. Coupled with the fact that you’re physically engaged, your attention span tends to be much greater which allows you to stay on task for a longer period of time.
- Increase Your Work Productivity on the Go
Research has shown that productivity can increase greatly if you’re working from a standing desk if you’re on the go. This is because you’re forced to constantly shift your position/position yourself differently every time that you have to get up from the desk. A study that took place on students was done by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Researchers found that students who were working from standing desks did better than those who were sitting.
- Less Freezer Belly
When you’re standing for long periods/hours, your body tends to change as a result of the fact that you’re not spending any time in a reclined position. This can lead to less swelling and soreness in the legs, which is great for anyone looking to lose weight (or maybe gain some). In addition, when you think about how many hours we spend at work each day, those hours add up and can lead to many consequences which include the development of frozen-stomach disorders.
- Standing is Less Dangerous Than Sitting
According to a study done by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, spending time working from a sitting position can increase your chances of dying from heart disease. Because you’re in an upright position, it’s easy for your blood to pool within the veins of your lower body which make it easier for other blood-related problems to occur. The researchers recommended that we need to spend more time standing up in order to reverse this negative impact on our health.
- Standing Improves Posture and Body Alignment
When you stand for long periods of time, you tend to keep yourself much more aligned than when you’re sitting down. There are many studies that have gone over this and all of the evidence has come up positive. The point is that when you’re spending a lot of time sitting, your muscle memory tends to eventually “reprogram” itself for this position. Some people find it difficult to break this habit even if they switch over to a standing desk.
- Improves Body Mobility
A study done by Lifehacker found that standing desks can be beneficial in helping you lose weight because you have a higher tendency to move around while working at them than compared to a sitting desk.
Conclusion
As you can see, standing desks have many benefits that we don’t really talk about because they’re a natural part of our lives. The extra health benefits, productivity and work habits may not seem like a big deal, but when you add them up over the long haul, they really do make a difference in your life. Standing desks are an item that is steadily becoming more and more mainstream due to their numerous advantages, so the next time that you hear someone telling you about the “pros of standing desks” use this article to give them some backup.