A standing desk allows you to move your desk in a position so that you can stand while working! The benefits of standing desks are growing increasingly clear. The effects on someone’s life when switching to a standing desk can be profound!
Standing desks come in all different shapes and sizes. If you are considering getting a standing desk for your office at work or at home, definitely take a look at our reviews of some of the most popular desks on the market!
Otherwise, let’s take a look at 10 benefits of standings desks and how standing desks can improve your everyday work life!
1. Reduced Back & Neck Pain
Americans spend billions on lower back pain healthcare each year. It’s an uncomfortable (and expensive problem) for so many people.
Lower back pain is one of the worst problems that often comes from sitting at a desk all day. The human body is generally not designed to sit in a chair for long periods of time. This makes having a routine of standing up and stretching throughout the day even more important for office workers. A standing desk can make this easy.
Users reported less back pain after intermittently standing throughout the day in numerous studies. Reducing time spent sitting by about an hour a day reduced back and neck pain by 54%, according to the Center for Disease Control.
If you have back and neck pain every day after working your desk job, why not give a standing desk a try?
*Want to get started with a very popular standing desk? Check out our review of the VIVO 36 inch Standing Desk here!*
2. Increased Productivity
When you are not in pain, it’s far easier to stay productive. Standing up also improves energy and mood levels for many, per the CDC study mentioned above.
With greater energy, you can get a lot more done. Sitting all day can make it hard to stay energized and focused on the task at hand.
Being able to easily stand up without having to leave your desk makes it easy to maintain peak productivity. You won’t have to leave your desk to get up and stretch your legs. You can just raise up your standing desk and keep working on your task!
If you work at home, it can be even more difficult to stay focused and productive. Standing up in intervals while you work can help to keep you mentally focused and physically energized no matter where you work.
3. Heightened Alertness
Standing up increases selective attention and cognitive ability, according to this 2017 study from the Association for Psychological Science.
Alertness is the key to being productive. It allows you to stay very focused on the task you are working on. When you are not alert, you might miss easy to spot errors.
You know that feeling in the morning, after a poor night’s sleep? When it’s very hard to get up and get going? When you sit down for a long period of time, that same sort of feeling can happen. Maybe you’ve noticed it while on the job.
By standing up, you force yourself to stay alert and awake. You break that groggy feeling. Your body doesn’t have the choice to start “hibernating” again.
The positive effect of remaining alert is being able to quickly jump from task to task more easily. You also improve your ability to maintain quality control.
For many, this is the greatest benefit of standing desks.
4. Standing Burns More Calories Than Sitting
You do burn slightly more calories by standing. Standing burns an extra 9 calories per hour when compared to sitting, according to a 2017 report by Circulation. Just standing for a few hours a day can add up over time.
Maybe you can have an extra cookie every week with the calories you burn by standing. Or maybe not. Either way, it’s like “found calories” being burned. Might as well take advantage of that benefit, too!
*We reviewed one of the most popular weighted-base desks on the market! Check out the review of the VariDesk Weighted Base 30-inch Standing Desk here!*
5. Improved Posture
Sitting and hunching over a desk is one of the worst things a person can do to their posture.
Standing forces you to correct your posture. It is easy to hunch forward while sitting, causing you to arch your spine awkwardly. This puts a lot of pressure on your neck and back, especially.
When using a standing desk, it’s important to get one that is appropriate for your height and the table it is on. You don’t want to replace hunching while sitting with more hunching while standing! Thankfully, there are a lot of options on the market for standing desks of all shapes and sizes. Pick a desk that fits not only your own body, but also the table it is sitting on!
6. Better Joint Movement and Flexibility
Standing up puts you in a great position to do some stretches as well. Stretches can also help to improve your energy and alertness.
When you stand, you automatically stretch your leg muscles, especially your hamstrings. When you sit for long periods of time, your muscles can tighten. So an added benefit of using a standing desk is that you can improve your flexibility and joint health!
Standing regularly during work can help a lot with strengthening weaker muscles, too. This is why it might make sense to slowly ease into standing up regularly when you first get a standing desk. Often, your body will not be used to standing for long periods of time if it’s accustomed to sitting all of the time. Let your muscles strengthen and get more flexible, slowly but surely.
7. Improved Mood & Energy Levels
When you stand, your body is forced to balance itself, which it does not have to do while you sit.
You might also find yourself walking around your workplace more, which will help keep you active and engaged!
Not to mention, being more productive and energetic will almost certainly help with your mood, especially if you enjoy being efficient!
*Looking for a larger standing desk with great customer feedback? Check out our review of the FlexiSpot 47-Inch Standing Desk Converter here!*
8. Lowered Risk of Heart Disease
A sedentary lifestyle has routinely been linked to increased risk of heart disease and other health problems.
Sure, you won’t become an elite athlete by standing up a few extra times per day, but a little bit goes a long way! Compared to sitting the entire day, standing requires you to use more muscles. It’s why you burn slightly more calories by standing versus sitting, as discussed above.
When you use a standing desk, you might be more prone to walk around your office or workspace. Walking a few times during the work day is a fantastic way to complete some sort of physical activity and stay sharp. Walking also burns significantly more calories than sitting.
Pretty much any physical activity is better than none outside of very unique circumstances. For most people, the changes to working lifestyle that standing desks can allow for at least a slightly healthier routine!
9. More Comfort While Working
Intermittent standing while at work decreases musculoskeletal discomfort, according to a study by Dr. Alicia Thorp of the Neurovascular Hypertension and Kidney Disease Laboratory. This is especially true for overweight people, the study showed.
Sitting for long periods of time is generally not good for muscular or skeletal health. Hence the reason that standing up periodically can help so much! Your body will likely avoid the sharp pains that come with sitting for long periods of time.
It’s amazing how refreshing it can be to stand up after sitting for a couple of hours. Being able to stand up intermittently without having to break your workflow is an incredibly convenient benefit of standing desks.
*Read all of our desk reviews here!*
10. Enjoy Work More!
When you feel better, you work better. When you work better, you will enjoy working more!
Simple steps, like using a high quality standing desk, can lead to major improvements in your health and productivity. Renewed energy can make work more fun and engaging than ever before.
You might find yourself getting more work done, enjoying being with your coworkers more, and generally liking heading to your job each day. When you feel good, you are good!
Feeling drained and groggy after a long day of work is a real shame. A standing desk might be a simple way to bring renewed energy so that you can start liking work again! Your mind and body will thank you.
Conclusion – The Benefits of Standing Desks
Clearly, there are a lot of health and productivity benefits that come with using standing desks. It’s amazing what standing at work can do for your mind and body! Not to mention, standing up encourages you to, literally, think on your feet.
Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to get a standing desk for yourself. But, with so many options, it can be hard to narrow down your choice.
Check out our collection of standing desk reviews to see which desk would be best for your needs. Whether you want something for your home office or your desk at work, there’s an option for you. Why not unlock these 10 benefits of standing desks within your own life? It’s at least worth a try!