Will a Standing Desk Actually Improve Your Health?

The couch potato lifestyle has become an epidemic the world over in developed countries. From sitting in front of the tv, sitting at meals, sitting in the car, bus, or subway, to sitting almost all day at an office, many people spend the majority of their days sitting down.

But will using a standing desk actually improve your health? Or is it just a trendy gadget that doesn’t make any real difference? Read on to decide for yourself.

Sitting Too Much IS Harmful to Your Health

If you’ve been paying attention to the news in the past few years, you may have heard that there are a number of studies that have shown excessive sitting to be harmful for your health. In fact, many are saying that the risks of sitting too often are so serious that sitting is the new smoking.

In fact, researchers have found that extended sitting can be a contributing factor in any of the following diseases or ailments:

• Obesity
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Heart Disease & Stroke
• Back and Neck Pain
• Certain Types of Cancers
• Premature Death

Why Using a Standing Desk Could Improve Your Health

Standing Burns More Calories Than Sitting

From a simple calorie burning perspective, standing more often throughout the day will burn more calories than sitting. If you have weight-related risk factors for certain types of diseases, standing more often may help reduce those risks.

To find out how many calories per hour you’d burn by standing vs. sitting, check out this calculator from JustStand.org. According to the study mentioned in this article from Harvard University, the simple act of burning more calories is linked to a healthier heart.

Standing Up Helps Reduce Risk for Disease

Almost no disease is caused by a single factor, but, instead, a culmination of multiple risk factors. So it is inaccurate to say that a sit-stand desk will prevent you getting a disease like cancer, type 2 diabetes, etc.. However, there are many research studies that suggest that using a standing desk, and avoiding extended periods of sitting, can lessen risk factors for those diseases, including suffering from chronic disease.

Movement Can Reduce Pain and Stiffness  

Whether you suffer from an ailment like arthritis or just have general pain and stiffness, using a standing desk may also help you feel better as experts agree that there is a link between movement throughout the day and improved pain management.

Bottom Line: A Standing Desk Keeps You Moving

The benefits of a standing desk do not come simply from standing up in a standing position all day. Often users are tempted by products that function, essentially, as a platform on their existing desk. Staying in a standing position all day will likely not help you any more than staying in a sitting position all day.

To get the most out of a standing desk, make sure that you are able to move freely and easily throughout your workday, which experts have found is the key to improving your health over remaining in a stationary position all day.

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