Did you know that sitting with no movement increases your risk for health concerns such as high blood sugar, increased blood pressure, fat around the waist, and more? If you sit for more than eight hours per day with no movement, your risk of dying is similar to those who smoke or are obese.
While this is scary to think about, you might wonder what you can do to combat this. The good news is that there are ergonomic desks and chairs to help prevent sitting still. Read this guide on the various reasons to add an active chair to your office setup today!
What Is Active Sitting?
Active sitting is when you keep your body moving even while sitting. Your body will move in the natural state it does when standing or walking.
Active sitting allows you to improve your core muscles, strengthen your back, and improve your posture. It could also reduce the stress placed on your body from sitting all day.
Sedentary lifestyles are harmful, even if you exercise regularly. Sitting for too long without movement could cause slouching, a stiff back, or reduced core strength. Active sitting could help combat this since your body is in motion.
Some examples of active sitting include:
- Chairs that have you swivel while you sit
- Treadmills
- Standing desks
- Bouncing ball chairs
1. Encourage Core Strength
First, they encourage core strength. This is due to these types of chairs working the muscles in the abdomen, lateral area, and shoulders. The muscles in your hips could work as well.
Active muscles could help improve oxygen circulation and blood flow. In addition, this encourages muscle contraction, which helps to strengthen the mind and body.
2. Changes Your Posture
Changing your posture is essential since humans naturally do so while standing. It engages your muscles, whereas your muscles are relaxed with a regular chair.
Normal chairs tend to cause slouching, which could lead to other health concerns. Improved posture could mean more energy, confidence, and increased self-esteem.
Poor posture could lead to health problems such as heartburn, incontinence, and constipation. To avoid this, it's best to use a chair that engages your core muscles. Harvard recommends changing your position at least every 30 to 60 minutes, which is easy to forget in a normal chair.
3. Burn Calories
Active chair options could help you burn calories! While it doesn't replace exercise, it burns more calories than a regular chair.
Burning these calories lets the body know that your metabolism is at work. Energy is being produced for both the body and brain.
4. Improved Circulation
Active sitting causes consistent muscle contraction. These contractions force the blood to flow through muscle tissue and the rest of the body. Oxygenated blood cells are pumped through the body.
5. Encourages Movement
Active sitting encourages constant motion. Bodies aren't meant for several hours of sitting without movement.
Joints and muscles are meant to move. Sitting without movement increases your risk of injury.
The biggest cause is because of bad posture. With bad posture, the neck muscles become tight and tense. Through neck arching, it increases the curvature of the neck.
A strain on the trapezius muscle connects to the upper back and shoulder to hold the neck in place. In time, your neck becomes tight, painful, and this could lead to knots.
Knots then lead to poor posture since the muscles are weaker. As the body slouches, it's almost caving in on itself.
6. Increase Productivity
Ergonomic seating tends to increase productivity. There's less of a physical strain on your body, allowing for better concentration. This is thanks to engaging your core muscles for positive alignment.
7. Keep You Moving
You'll be sitting less in one place and moving more often. You'll encourage movement, whether you use a standing or sit-stand desk or swiveling chair. Moving more throughout the day is vital to keep your muscles engaged.
8. Could Reduce Anxiety
Active seating allows you to reduce anxiety through movement instead of having to sit still. Instead of fidgeting with a pencil or driving your coworkers crazy kicking your foot on the ground, you're moving your body around quietly.
9. Great for Office Environments
Since they're quiet, they're perfect for the office! You could see an increase in productivity for those who use an active chair. Active chairs are perfect for group activities as well.
10. Less Pressure on the Body
Traditional chairs force your body to stay in an awkward position. Having your knees below your hips is better for removing stress from the tailbone.
This helps to keep your spine in proper alignment, engages your core, and improves circulation. You'll be able to adjust your posture throughout the day to stay engaged and balanced.
It allows you to stretch your legs, shift your weight, open your hips, and bounce. All of this can have an impact on the energy you'll have throughout the day.
11. Adjust Your Body to Your Needs
Whether you want to stretch, move side to side, or need to open your hips, an active chair gives you options. With a regular chair, you're limited to how it forces your body to stay the rest of the day. Fluid movement allows you to listen to your body's needs and make adjustments as necessary.
12. Potential Pain Reduction
Traditional sitting causes shoulder, neck, and back pain from being sedentary for too long. You could even do small exercises with wobble stools or other active chairs.
As you improve your posture, you're strengthening the muscles. This helps to ease pain from poor posture.
13. Increase Pelvic Movement
Active chairs help to move the pelvic region, which supports the lower and upper body. With traditional chairs, you're more limited in what you can and can't move.
The movement of the pelvis also helps intervertebral discs. This leads to an increase in elasticity to maintain a healthy spine.
Whereas with a regular chair, your back is rounded, putting pressure on the front edges of the discs. These discs bend toward the spinal cord, causing health problems such as disk herniation.
14. Less Back Pain
Back pain is often attributed to long periods in a traditional chair. Give yourself time to adjust to an active chair, and you'll see the various benefits.
You'll feel more energized and have less back pain due to movement. Your body will become used to keeping your back straight instead of hunching forward.
15. Unique Office Space
Active chairs can improve the office setup overall. When interviewees come into the space and see it's more fun and unique instead of traditional sitting chairs, it might entice them.
You can choose from various designs and styles to accentuate the feel of your office. The options are endless whether you're looking for standing desks or swivel chairs. Offer your employees multiple options; they're more likely to stay productive throughout the day.
16. Various Problems With Traditional Seating
Did you know that dementia is more likely if you sit too much? It could also increase your risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and more.
Moving throughout the day could help to reduce these risks. Even if you exercise after a long day, sitting stationary could counter the workout you do later.
You could also increase your risk of Deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis is when a blood clot forms in your leg from sitting still for too long. It could become serious if it breaks away and heads to your lungs.
Being sedentary with no movement could also cause weight gain. This is a large problem with sitting in front of the television. Consider a swivel chair for your living room as well.
17. A Healthy Spine
Your spinal column is made up of discs and vertebrae. The discs contain a rubbery substance and a fluid to stay healthy.
To keep these healthy, motion is vital. As the liquid moves, it keeps your spine healthy. It could also decrease hernias and other injuries that lead to back pain.
18. Exercise With Active Chairs
Simple exercises at your desk are much easier with an active chair. You can practice knee lifts.
Knee lifts are when you lift a leg and stretch it. Have your knee reach toward your chest, hold it, and let it back down.
There's also leg lettering. Lift one leg off the ground and draw the letters of the alphabet with it. Place it back down and repeat on the other side.
You'll still want to get up and walk around every hour. This can help reduce joint pain and improve circulation.
You could also do more active stretches or exercises while you're up! Don't forget to hydrate as well. Consider pairing your active chair with a sit-stand desk to have even more variety in your day.
19. Various Options
Choose from active sitting chairs, balance boards, and wobble stools. For children, they can have their own active chair too!
A folding kids' sofa chair will keep them active. It could be a launchpad, sofa chair, or an ottoman.
It'll also save on space since it has all these features in one chair. Kids can collapse the back for fun playtime or sit and watch movies. The hidden compartment allows toys to be stored.
For adults, you could choose a wobble stool. It's fun since you can move it under your control. Wobble stools make it easy to move while sitting.
How Active Sitting Works
You can buy an ergonomic chair or stool, depending on your preference. Yoga balls aren't as beneficial as active sitting.
When you're sitting still, the muscles in your body relax and weaken. Whereas with an active chair, you're in motion. Whether you're at the computer, need to reach for something, or stand up, you'll be actively moving your body and muscles.
Active seating is also great for those who get distracted easily or fidget. If you have trouble focusing because you're tapping your toes or bouncing your leg, active seating will help keep you focused.
If you're balancing, your mind can adjust subconsciously without taking you out of what you're doing. It's not as distracting as toe-tapping or bouncing your leg. You also won't disrupt your coworkers with these chairs.
Some ergonomic chairs have height adjustments to match you. You'll engage the core muscles and adjust your posture as necessary.
What To Look For in an Active Chair
Find active chairs that are easy to assemble. If it's difficult to assemble, it might not work the same. Of course, you could choose an already assembled chair as well.
Look for an active chair that has an adjustable height. Adjustments will allow you to have increased compatibility. It'll help you avoid muscle injuries due to poor furniture.
Lastly, choose a seat with proper cushioning for comfort. You'll stay comfortable while your muscles constantly move to promote your health.
The Various Reasons To Buy an Active Chair
This guide provides various reasons to add an active chair to your office setup! Say goodbye to a sore back due to slouching and hello to comfort.
While a traditional chair forces you to stay still in one position, you could move your body to how it feels best. While doing so, you're keeping your mind engaged on work, working your core muscles, and avoiding staying sedentary.
If you're ready to get started, check out our active chair today! It's easily adjustable to meet your needs.
It ships fast and is a stylish and fun balance chair. So whether you'd like to fidget, balance, or lean while staying focused, the options are endless!