In recent weeks, numerous articles have come out citing scientific studies claiming that, while sitting for prolonged periods of time throughout your day is bad for your health, standing for prolonged periods of your day can be worse for your health and can even contribute to heart disease.
We’re calling these claims out. Here are four things you need to know:
What John Oliver said.
You may not know who John Oliver is or that he has a popular TV show called “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” on HBO and that’s perfectly fine. What’s important to be aware of is his rant about the media and how they position certain scientific “studies” and/or “findings” as popular news for web traffic/TV ratings rather than fully disclosing the entire message, which can be misleading and potentially harmful to the viewer.
I could give you the “cliffnotes” version, but do yourself a favor by carving out 20 minutes of your day to watch the video below. While John’s sense of humor can be a little cheeky at times, the weight of this particular message is substantial and applies to all of us. Warning: Some bad language ahead…
KNOW THIS: Do your own research, cite your own sources, and form your own opinion on topics you’re interested in rather than assuming the media is always right. Wisdom and discernment for the win!
PROLONGED SITTING is bad for you.
We can’t speak to all of the studies and scientific findings the media covers on a daily basis; however, we can speak to the ones having to do with the health benefits associated with height-adjustable standing desks.
Here’s what we know… prolonged sitting has been linked to cancer, type 2 diabetes and speeding up ageing. The phrase “sitting is the new smoking” has even been coined from leading healthcare professionals.
KNOW THIS: Simply put, prolonged sitting are the keywords you need to focus on. Sitting, in moderation, is NOT bad for you.
PROLONGED STANDING is bad for you.
It has recently been published that “people who primarily stand at work are twice as likely to develop heart disease.” While this piece of “news” seems to drastically disprove the benefits of sit-to-stand desks, there’s more to the story…
What the media fails to mention in their click-bait headline is that they’re referring to PROLONGED standing ONLY. This isn’t new news, people.
KNOW THIS: Anything in excess can be harmful to the body, including prolonged standing!
Movement + Activity = Healthy Living
Humans were designed to move. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, “Americans should begin to stand, move, and take breaks for at least two out of eight hours at work. Then, gradually work up to spending at least half of your eight-hour work day standing.”
Lifting weights, running and yoga are all great examples of activities that are critical to your health’s success in the long-run. An adjustable standing desk is NOT the one and only answer to pursuing better health; however, it can be beneficial if utilized correctly.
KNOW THIS: Finding the perfect balance of sitting AND standing throughout the day plus being active outside of the office should be your top priority for living a healthy lifestyle.
