10 Benefits of Working at a Sit-Stand Desk
With a rise in working from home, many workers and employers have become well aware of the importance of correct office equipment and well-being at work. The benefits of moving more whilst working are often discussed and highlighted, but can a desk really benefit your health? In our opinion, yes!
Sitting for long periods can have a negative impact on your health. Office-based workers, in particular, are often sitting for long periods with limited movement required to complete their duties. Research has identified sedentary sitting as a contributing factor for many health concerns, including an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even early death. Many of the dangers of prolonged sitting are explained on the NHS website.
Height adjustable sit-stand desks are a great way to encourage movement, exercise and correct posture when working. They can have both short term and long term benefits for users, including improvements to our health and any back pain issues. It’s recommended that when working at a desk, you spend no longer than 1 hour seated, with an ideal time being 40 minutes before incorporating a form of movement or exercise. Being able to switch between a seated and standing position with a sit-stand desk can reduce physical stress and help relieve symptoms.
If you’re not convinced about the benefits, we have listed below a few reasons why so many people now include a sit-stand desk as the centrepiece of their workspace.
1/ Reduce the risk of weight gain and obesity
Compared to sedentary work, when standing, you burn more calories. Standing requires more muscles and typically the largest ones in the body. Hence, increased blood flow requires more energy and burns more calories. Research has shown that standing can burn as much as 170 more calories than sitting whilst working. While this may seem like a small amount, it all adds up in the long term.
With that said, swapping some of your sitting time for standing is unlikely to result in noticeable weight loss or muscle gains. You would be better off kickstarting a workout regime if this is your goal. A sit-stand desk is not a piece of fitness equipment; it’s a well-being tool.
2/ Improves posture
Workers can often become tired when sitting and slumping in their chairs. Bad posture can cause a misalignment between the spine, shoulders and neck, which can over time cause injury. The correct posture becomes natural when standing and elongates the spine. Height adjustable sit-stand desks, by their very nature, have been designed to be more ergonomic and comfortable when both sitting and standing. And the movement between the two positions elevates physical stresses.
3/ Reduces back pain
Our bodies are not designed to be sitting all day. Sitting for extended periods can put pressure on your back, spine and discs leading to shoulder and neck discomfort. Being able to switch posture positions regularly, workers can alleviate pain caused by poor posture and reduce the compression on the spine by standing.
4/ Increases circulation
Standing requires the use of more muscles and the elongation of these muscles. This means that your circulatory system has to work harder as switching between sitting and standing increases the number of muscular contractions, stimulating blood flow. With improved circulation, you also get the benefit of improved cardiovascular health.
5/ Lowers heart disease risk
Standing can also help reduce the risk of heart disease as it requires more energy. Blood sugar levels tend to be much healthier in those who work from sit-stand desks. Blood sugar can also impact cholesterol and weight, lowering the risk of heart disease.
6/ Improves productivity
Remaining in one position too long can affect concentration and productivity as your body becomes fatigued. Changing position from sitting to standing can help improve focus. Increased circulation causes more oxygen to be distributed around the body, which enables you to stay awake and alert.
With the freedom to move between sitting and standing, sedentary postures are less likely to be prolonged. Spending too long in one position can result in aches, pains, fatigue and a drop in productivity.
The simple act of standing up activates your leg and core muscles and raises your heart rate slightly, which in turn should help your breathing and circulation, oxygenate and revive your body.
7/ Lower blood sugar
Often office workers remain seated all morning, have their lunch and then return to their desk where they often stay until the end of the working day. Eating causes a spike in blood sugar levels as your body absorbs nutrients and energy from the food. When you sit for long periods of time after eating, excess blood sugar is not used for energy in movement and can remain high in the blood. By standing after a meal, the excess sugars are used by the muscles and, therefore, reduce the blood levels. Over time this can help reduce the risk of diabetes.
8/ Improved muscle tone
Standing intermittently during the day, instead of prolonged sitting, can help strengthen the core, leg, ankle, and foot muscles simply due to using them more.
9/ Enhanced team building, communication and mood
When using sit stand desks people have reported feeling more open to asking colleagues questions and moving around the office to communicate rather than sending emails. An office that has more collaborative working and open communications often make workers feel more comfortable and improves their mood.
10/ Adjustability
As well as the sit-stand desk benefits reported by users and proven by science, benefits over a traditional static height desk with a ‘one size fits all’ include the ability to make minute height adjustments to suit you personally whether sitting, standing or perching.
Designed for optimal comfort and flexibility, a multi-purpose sit-stand desk allows you to swap positions regularly to help keep you more active in the office, improve your posture, boost energy and productivity levels and burn a few extra calories at the same time.
You can browse all our high quality desks here including Sisu solid wood standing desks, Fika laminate and our Danish design standing desk frames if you would prefer to reuse your existing desktop.
At Flomotion we stock a wide choice of standing desks as well as offering a bespoke service for customers. If you need guidance on your choice of desk or your journey to a more active working lifestyle, give our friendly team a call on 01603 951595. We have lots of tools and tips to help you achieve a healthier and more productive way of working.
