21 Health Benefits from Switching to a Standing Desk

As more studies prove the negative impact of sitting all day, more and more people are switching to standing desks for a healthier, more productive work lifestyle. In this article, we showcase 21 health benefits of switching to a standing desk. Your body will thank you.

21 Health Benefits From Switching to a Standing Desk

We’ve already given you reasons why sitting for long hours is bad for your health. Now, it’s time to show you the benefits of a standing desk

Pain Reduction Benefits

1. Reduces Risks of Chronic Back Pain

When you are in an upright position such as standing, your spine is positioned normally and any further complications from frequent sitting can be avoided. When you sit, you hunch your back to relax. You may feel at rest in this position.

But, it is actually unnatural for the body and can cause back pain because of the spine bending into a C shape instead of the normal S.

2. Reduces Leg Pain and Cramping

Blood is able to circulate freely through your feet, legs, and toes when you stand. Maintaining constant movement is key to avoiding foot pain, leg pain and cramps. You don’t have this movement when you stay in a sedentary position, such as sitting, all day.

3. Relieves Stiff Neck

You can avoid experiencing pain in the neck when you position yourself in an upright manner such as standing. When you stand, you avoid adding additional weight to your neck that may cause unwanted strain and stress. Consider standing or walking around once you feel like you’re experiencing a stiff neck.

It might just be because of the position you’re in.

4. Reduces Shoulder Pain

Just like the neck, your shoulders are alleviated from any kind of pain once you position yourself in an upright manner. Sitting isn’t a natural position for the body. Therefore, sitting can cause pain in your shoulders from undue stress and tension.

5. Relieves Headaches

Proper upright posture has been linked to headache relief. This can occur through reduced strain from the back, to the shoulders, and the neck. When blood and oxygen are able to circulate freely through your body, there are no unnecessary pains caused by improper posture.

It has been found that headaches cease right after sporting an upright standing position.

Weight Related Benefits

6. Lower Risk of Obesity and Weight Gain

When you aren’t sitting as often, your body burns additional calories by keeping active. When you stand, your body works harder to maintain the position as it keeps your muscles and bones engaged. This reduces the risks of obesity and weight gain that could be related to sitting down at work.

7. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

When you keep active, even just by standing a couple hours of the day, the insulin in your body can process better the sugars you consume. Your blood sugar levels drop when you maintain physical activity. By staying sedentary for long periods of time, it can dramatically slow the process by up to 40% in one day.

8. Improved Metabolism

When you stand, your bodily systems function normally as they are in their proper form. Your digestive system can literally get scrunched up when you sit, slowing down the process and your metabolism all together. Moving around, or even just allotting time to stand at work, can vastly improve digestion.  

9. Lowers Cholesterol

Anything that maintains movement or keeping active can effectively lower cholesterol. That includes standing for just a couple of hours per day while using an anti fatigue mat. Research suggests that sitting down, or any sedentary act that would prevent the body from working, can not only raise cholesterol levels, but also risks for type 2 Diabetes, obesity, and blood sugar levels.

10. Burns Calories

Standing, despite being such an easy task, is a simple way of keeping your body active. Compared to being sedentary, you can engage your bones and muscles to allow for additional calorie burn.

Long Term Health Benefits

11. Avoids Varicose Veins

When you are in an upright position, your veins don’t have to work twice as hard to pump up blood to your heart and brain. Varicose veins usually appear when someone is in a sedentary position for an extended amount of time, such as sitting. Standing, on the other hand, is an easy way to keep active and physically fit without much effort, and can reduce the chances of having varicose veins.

12. Lower Risk of Heart Attacks

Standing, or any form of movement, can generally make a person much healthier. People who allot time for exercise in a day have less chances of having a heart attack than someone who maintains a sedentary lifestyle. You’d be surprised how using a standing desk can greatly affect your chances of not having a heart attack.

By standing for a couple hours of day, your heart and body become much stronger.

13. Reduces Risks of Cardiovascular Disorders

People who maintain active lifestyles are found to have a good, strong heart with lower levels of cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and weight issues. By having physical activity, even just through standing alone, you can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in the future.

14. Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Because blood sugar levels and metabolism are well-maintained through standing, studies show there is also less chances for people who keep active to develop type 2 diabetes. Movement is the main element to fighting the disease.

15. Reduced Risk of Cancer

Studies show staying active even just by standing a few hours per day reduces risks of cancer growing cells as natural antioxidants that fight them are produced through physical activity. Sitting on the other hand, has been shown to greatly increase chances for cancers involving the breast and the colon.  

16. Lowers Mortality Rate

Because risks of cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cholesterol levels are greatly reduced by keeping active, this in turn also reduces overall mortality rate. Standing for a couple of hours per day helps keep your body much healthier and can result in a much longer life span than someone who is always sedentary.

Other Benefits

17. Improved Blood and Oxygen Circulation

Whenever you stand, you are in your body’s natural position. Being so helps promote the natural circulation of blood and oxygen through your body. This can aid in the prevention of several complications. Not only does standing improve the circulation, but also the proper function of the brain and heart.

18. Improved Brain Activity

Because blood and oxygen are well circulated in the body when you stand, your brain is also working at its full capacity. Being in a sitting position hinders the brain’s function as blood travels much slower. Try walking around or working with a standing desk to feel the productivity boost proper circulation gives you.

19. Strong Bones

When you are sedentary, you don’t get to use your bones as often as you should. However, when working with a standing desk, you engage the bones in your body. This helps to prevent weakened bones and other musco-skeletal disorders such as osteoporosis.

20. Stronger Muscles

Much like our bones, engaging our muscles when you stand tightens them. Standing, or any weight-bearing activity for that matter, keeps your muscles active paving the way for stronger muscles.

21. Decreases Chances for Muscle Loss and Degeneration

Because you are able to engage and tighten muscles from standing, this also prevents muscle loss and degeneration. Being in a sedentary position such as sitting puts all your muscles to rest, raising the chances for the early shortening of muscles and muscle loss. It is best to spend some time doing physical activity once every day to make sure your muscles maintain their strength and capacity.

Conclusion

Standing takes a little bit of effort compared to sitting. Doing so a couple of hours per day can dramatically decrease health hazards that we may suffer from in the future. It’s best to consider the little things we can do daily to avoid these things from happening, and that includes working with a standing desk.

We’ve given you 21 health benefits of switching to one. Hopefully, this will help you reevaluate your lifestyle choices to help you live healthier and stronger every day.