Eat less, move more is perhaps one of the most common guidelines for achieving a healthy lifestyle and most of the clever scientists agree that sitting down for long periods is seriously bad for your health, leading to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease as well as burning very few calories which is responsible for weight gain. This represents a major issue for office workers who need to spend most of their day sat at a desk which is why sit-stand or height adjustable desks are becoming so popular.
Sitting while working can increase risk of diabetes – BBC
Put simply a sit-stand desk allows you to work seated or standing and to easily vary the height of your workspace to alternate between the two. Some desks like the Formetiq Alto 2 include a timer function so the desk can alert you when it’s time to switch position. Scientific studies have argued that a standing desk can have impressive benefits for health and overall productivity. It’s easy to see how standing to work for some of your working day can reduce the harmful effects of sitting down too much, we’ve outlined the most common benefits below.
Weight gain is normally caused by taking in more calories than you burn. While exercise is the most effective way to burn calories efficiently, simply choosing to stand instead of sitting can be hugely beneficial. When compared to an afternoon of sedentary work, an equal amount of time spent standing has been shown to burn over 170 additional calories.
Back pain is one of the most common complaints of office workers who sit all day. Whilst ensuring you are sat on a suitable office chair is one solution to this problem, one scientific study also found participants reported up to a 32% improvement in lower back pain after several weeks of using sit-stand height adjustable desks.
Standing desk workers ‘less tired, more engaged’ – BBC
A common concern about sit-stand desks is that they hinder common tasks like typing. However a recent study of 60 young office employees found that standing for 4 hours each day had no impact on characters typed per minute or typing errors.
In a 7-week study, those using sit-stand height adjustable desks reported less stress and fatigue than those who remained seated the entire working day. Additionally, 87% of those using sit-stand desks reported increased energy levels through the day. Upon returning to their old desks, overall moods reverted to their original levels. These findings align with broader research on sitting and mental health, which links sedentary time with an increased risk of both depression and anxiety.