There’s no secret that sitting is not beneficial to our overall health. Unfortunately in today’s society, sitting is nearly inevitable. Our lifestyles are designed around the sitting position. Seventy-five percent of the current workforce sits for over half of their work day (1). The easiest solution to this problem would be to tell everyone to stop working (HA, yeah right). But a more reasonable option is to simply adjust your workstation to allow for standing throughout the day. An adjustable desk provides the opportunity to alternate between standing and sitting positions.
Current research shows sedentary lifestyles and extended time sitting increases one’s risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes (2). Increased sitting time, also, correlates to an increased risk for a heart attack and cardiovascular disease (2). Having the option to stand or walk for periods of time throughout the day has numerous benefits on the heart. In 2015, Harvard Medical School stated that substituting as little as two hours of sitting with standing and walking per day lowers cholesterol, blood sugar, waist size, and weight (3).
Sitting can also influence your mental health and well-being. One-third of workers who were allowed to stand reported less stress than those who sat all day (4). The freedom to stand, also, left workers feeling more energized, happier, and more focused.
You may be thinking that your workplace will not accommodate a standing workstation, that you do not have enough space, or that these adjustments will be too costly. Lucky for you, that is not the case. Thanks to compelling research, adjustable desks are becoming easier and cheaper to install. Simply head to Amazon.com and type in “standing workstation.” You will see a whole host of options ranging from big to small and options under one hundred dollars.
Check out this quick video in which I dive deeper into the benefits a standing work station has on your neck, hips, and low back.
Video
References
1. Hamilton, Marc, Deborah Hamilton, and Theodore Zderic. “Role of Low Energy Expenditure and Sitting in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease.” Perspectives in Diabetes 56 (2007): 2655-667. Web.
2.. Katzmarzyk, Peterq, Timothy Church, Cora Craig, and Claude Bouchard. “Sitting Time and Mortality from All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (1999): 998-1005. Web.
3. Ferrari, Nancy. Standing up for better heart health. Harvard Health. (2015). Web
4. Pronk, Nicolaas, Abigail Katz, and Jane Rodmyre Payfer. “Reducing Occupational Sitting Time and Improving Worker Health: The Take-a-Stand Project.” Preventing Chronic Disease Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy 9.154 (2012)
