Whether you work for a company or work for yourself, if you sit at a desk, you’re living a sedentary lifestyle. If you work on a laptop computer, you probably move around even less.
Wait… what?
It’s true. If you sit while you work, you teeter on the edge of couch potato living.
In 2018, roughly 25% of Americans claimed the only physical activity they participated in was job-related. That could mean anything from walking to and from the parking lot to walking to the breakroom for a refill on coffee.
If you have a laptop job, you’re putting your health at risk. But you can take action!
Here’s why you should consider making the switch. Not a change in jobs! We’re talking about switching to a laptop standing desk.
The View from Your Chair
Take a second and evaluate the relationship between you and your laptop.
Because of portability, laptop users can work literally anywhere. That includes the traditional office, an airplane seat, a café, the beach, and for many, the comfort of your own bed. The possibilities are endless.
That all sounds nice but laptops don’t encourage movement. Admit it, you drag your laptop into bed with you whenever possible so that you can finish that overdue project or get a jump on tomorrow’s work.
Think about how you feel after long sessions working on your laptop. Energized probably doesn’t describe your feelings. If you respond with words like sore, tired, and cranky, perhaps it’s time for a change.
Humans aren’t built for sitting. Most of our body systems work better when we stand and move around.
Your heart and cardiovascular system certainly work more effectively that way. You say, "prove it!" Continue reading and find out how a stand up desk could help your heart.
Let’s Start with the Heart
Accusations about sitting pile up more every day. They include statements like sitting kills and sitting is a disease. Some even put sitting in the same category as smoking.
Sedentary lifestyles—a fancy term for prolonged sitting— has a negative effect on your heart. Prolonged sitting may increase your risk for the following:
- High blood pressure
- Atherosclerosis (plaque in the arteries)
- High cholesterol
If you’re a sitter, you could put yourself at risk for a heart attack. In fact, your risk factor could rise to 125% versus a person who enjoys a more active lifestyle.
The standing desk isn’t a magic pill that makes cardiovascular disease disappear. But when you stand for even a few hours each day, you can reduce your risk.
The Big C
Sometimes it feels like researchers come up with a new risk for cancer every day. If it isn’t the food we eat or the air we breathe, it’s our beauty products. The list goes on and on. Sitting is now on the list!
The American Cancer Society wants us to know that if we sit for 6 hours or more each day, we put our bodies at risk for cancer. Women who sit have a 10% greater risk for these cancers:
- Multiple myelomas
- Ovarian cancer
- Invasive breast cancer
Colon and endometrial cancer are on the list as well.
Switching to a desk that allows more movement makes sense, especially if you’re hoping to reduce your cancer risk.
No More Aching Back
You feel refreshed after a day of sitting at your desk, right? We’re certain you feel even more energized after hours spent slouching over your laptop.
Unfortunately, rather than feeling wonderfully refreshed, spending much of your day in a seated (or slouched) position can leave you with a stiff and sore spine.
Sitting may initially feel relaxing but it puts stress on your back and neck. In fact, back pain is a common complaint of people who have desk jobs where they sit most of the day.
Slouching is one negative effect of sitting at a desk.
Change your environment by swapping that old fashioned desk for an adjustable standing desk. Add in a few exercises that target your lower body. Prepare for pain relief.
You’re not the only one who can benefit from the standing instead of sitting revolution. Your co-workers may thank you too. You'll see why below.
Improve Your Mood
I love working with colleagues who spend most of the day in a bad mood! Said no one ever.
We’ve all had the pleasure of working with people who seem like they’re miserable most of the time. Maybe you’re the moody one. Could the moodiness be a result of prolonged sitting?
It’s certainly possible. Think about how you feel after hours hunched over your laptop.
Your back and neck feel tight. Your eyes might feel tired. Your window with a view only makes you crave what you can’t have until it’s time to clock out.
If standing reduces back pain, wouldn’t it make sense that standing also might help reduce possible feelings of moodiness associated with feeling like you’re chained to a chair all day?
Your boss will love the next part of this article.
Standing Boosts Productivity
Standing may boost brainpower, which in turn boosts productivity. Who knew?
One six-month study found standers, or at least those with standing desks increased productivity by 53 percent.
Apparently, standing makes a person less relaxed. While standing you’re forced to focus on balance. You also engage more muscles.
This helps you have a slight edge as far as mental focus goes resulting in increased productivity
Sure, some tasks work better from a sitting position. And like you shouldn’t sit all day you also need a break from standing for hours at a time.
The beauty of using a stand up desk is you can switch between the two without completely reconfiguring your workspace.
Ready to Switch to a Stand Up Desk?
As grateful as most of us are for our jobs, if we work in offices where sitting is the primary activity, we’re risking our health.
We’ve shared only a few benefits of swapping your traditional sit-down desk for a stand-up desk.
When you make the switch you’ll increase heart health, mood, and productivity. Your neck and back will feel better. You may even decrease your risk of certain cancers.
One thing is certain—you’ll enjoy a different view of the office.
Curious which stand up desk is best for you? Check out our desks and other ergonomically-friendly products.