The physical health risks associated with sitting all day include pain and discomfort, lack of energy and focus, and increased risk of some truly frightening diseases like diabetes, heart disease, depression, and even some cancers. The good news is, you don’t have to be bound to your desk chair all day. Using a desk that allows you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day provides a host of health benefits in addition to increased physical comfort.
Reduced Risk of Obesity
The simple act of standing burns 50 calories per hour. If you stand for half of your workday, that equates to about 200 calories burned each day, which really adds up over the course of months and years. This doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want and completely forgo any exercise, of course. But periodic standing should be a component of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Reduced Risk of Diabetes
According to recent research, each extra hour in a sedentary position increases your risk of diabetes by 22% , whether or not you exercise regularly. When you’re sedentary after a meal, your blood sugar continues to rise. Simply standing for an hour or two after lunch has been shown to reduce this blood sugar spike by 43%.
Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
A 2013 study showed a whopping 147% increase in the risk of heart disease associated with sedentary time. But the connection between sedentary time and cardiovascular disorders goes all the way back to a 1953 study showing that active workers are half as likely to develop heart disease as their sedentary counterparts.
In addition to these significant health benefits, standing reduces the incidence of muscle pain that comes from sitting in the same position all day, and it increases your focus, energy, and productivity.
If you have any questions on how a sit-stand desk can improve your health and your day-to-day work life, give us a call.