The Health Benefits of a Standing Desk
For thousands of years, our bodies have been strengthened and sustained by movement, until technological advances and the digital revolution abruptly chained us to our desks and chairs. After years of inactivity and sedentary living, it’s time to shake the status quo and spark the evolution of the office.
Dangers of Sitting
Sitting by the numbers
- Sitting Disease kills 300,000+ people a year… in the U.S. alone
- Increases mortality rate by 20% for men
- Increases mortality rate by 40% for women
- 20% of all U.S. deaths (35+) are attributed to physical inactivity
- As much as 25% of breast cancer is caused by sitting
- Up to 27% of diabetes cases are caused by sitting
When You Sit:
- Your body slows down your metabolism and stops producing lipase, the enzyme that breaks down fat.
- Just one day of sitting leads to a decline in insulin response from cells.
- Sitting for extended periods of time reduces the body’s effectiveness in regulating glucose levels, increasing the chance of type 2 diabetes.
- Your heart beats 10x slower while you sit, thickening your blood and leading to an increase in clogs in the heart.
Benefits of Standing
When You Stand:
- When you move, your body sends endorphins to your brain, which increases your innovation, creativity, and even productivity.
- Movement leads directly to fresh blood and oxygen pumping through your body, boosting your energy and reinvigorating your muscles.
- Standing desk users increase their heart rate by 8 beats per minute, resulting in weight loss and burning calories.
- Using a standing desk does not negatively impact typing and other workplace tasks.
- Studies have shown that working at a stand up desk minimizes fatigue, depression, and tension, as well as increases focus, energy, and overall happiness.
- Reduced back and neck pain
- Reduced risk of heart attack and heart disease
- Increased focus and productivity
- Better posture and increased core strength
- Burn up to 40% more calories per day
Standing and Movement Helps Your:
- Heart – Getting out of your chair increases blood flow, helping to lower cholesterol and improve overall heart health.
- Muscles – Standing can help strengthen the abs and back while minimizing muscle tightness.
- Spine – Standing counteracts pressure on discs and vertebrae caused by sitting.
- Brain – Healthy movement sends oxygen and blood to the brain, helping to increase mental acuity.
More reading:
- Men’s Health - “The Most Dangerous Thing You’ll Do All Day”
- The Wall Street Journal - “Standing Desks are on the Rise”
- Med City News - “Standing Desks and Walking Stations Replace Office Chairs”
- New York Times - “Taking a Stand for Office Ergonomics”
- USA Today - “Study: The Longer You Sit, the Shorter Your Life”
- Chicago Tribune - “Writing about Standing Desks while Sitting Down”
- San Francisco Chronicle - “Standing Desk Eases Pain from Sitting”
- Men's Health - “Get Up, Stand Up”
- Chicago Tribune - “Sedentary Office Workers Try Standing Desks”
- Chicago Tribune - “Standing Desks: The Classroom of the Future?”
- Duke Today - “Get Up, Stand Up”
- Duke Today - “Unconventional Desk Offers Benefits"
- Forbes - “Get Up, Stand Up, For Your Life: Can Standing Desks Fight Sitting Disease?”
- Huffington Post - “Why I Love My Standing Desk”
- Med City News - "Standing Desks and Walking Stations Replace Office Chairs"
- NPR - “Sitting All Day: Worse for You than You Might Think”
- New York Times - “Can’t Stand to Sit Too Long? There’s a Desk for That”
- New York Times - “Stand Up While You Read This!”
- New York Times - “Is All That Sitting Really Killing Us?”
- New York Times - “Don’t Just Sit There”
- New York Times Magazine - “Is Sitting a Lethal Activity?”
- New York Times - “Students Stand When Called Upon, and When Not”
- The New York Times - “The Hazards of the Couch”
- Houzz - “Stand-Up Desks Rise to Health Challenges”
- Pop Sugar - “Sitting Is Deadlier Than Smoking, Researchers Say”
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF A STANDING DESK
For thousands of years, our bodies have been strengthened and sustained by movement, until technological advances and the digital revolution abruptly chained us to our desks and chairs. After years of inactivity and sedentary living, it’s time to shake the status quo and spark the evolution of the office.
Dangers of Sitting
Sitting by the Numbers
- Sitting Disease kills 300,000+ people a year… in the U.S. alone
- Increases mortality rate by 20% for men
- Increases mortality rate by 40% for women
- 20% of all U.S. deaths (35+) are attributed to physical inactivity
- As much as 25% of breast cancer is caused by sitting
- Up to 27% of diabetes cases are caused by sitting
When You Sit:
- Your body slows down your metabolism and stops producing lipase, the enzyme that breaks down fat.
- Just one day of sitting leads to a decline in insulin response from cells.
- Sitting for extended periods of time reduces the body’s effectiveness in regulating glucose levels, increasing the chance of type 2 diabetes.
- Your heart beats 10x slower while you sit, thickening your blood and leading to an increase in clogs in the heart.
Benefits of Standing
When You Stand:
- When you move, your body sends endorphins to your brain, which increases your innovation, creativity, and even productivity.
- Movement leads directly to fresh blood and oxygen pumping through your body, boosting your energy and reinvigorating your muscles.
- Standing desk users increase their heart rate by 8 beats per minute, resulting in weight loss and burning calories.
- Using a standing desk does not negatively impact typing and other workplace tasks.
- Studies have shown that working at a stand up desk minimizes fatigue, depression, and tension, as well as increases focus, energy, and overall happiness.
- Reduced back and neck pain
- Reduced risk of heart attack and heart disease
- Increased focus and productivity
- Better posture and increased core strength
- Burn up to 40% more calories per day
Standing and Movement Helps Your:
Heart
Getting out of your chair increases blood flow, helping to lower cholesterol and improve overall heart health.
Muscles
Standing can help strengthen the abs and back while minimizing muscle tightness.
Spine
Standing counteracts pressure on discs and vertebrae caused by sitting.
Brain
Healthy movement sends oxygen and blood to the brain, helping to increase mental acuity.