Over the last few years there’s been a large amount of hype over standing and stand-up desks, when looking at one of these they look exactly the same as a regular desk, only higher. Dismissed by many yet preached by those that’ve used them… this post explains the claims and my experience with stand up office desks.
Sitting at a desk in an office for upwards of 5 hours a day has suddenly been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart problems and mortality as opposed to those who do not sit at a desk for hours on end day after day.
I personally know a number of people that’ve heard this spiel, jumped on the bandwagon and ordered stand-up desks for their offices only to discover they haven’t lost any weight several months later.
You can stand at your desk all day long but if you’re (a) not doing any exercise or (b) eating in a caloric surplus then you’re going to be gaining weight, you’re going to be increasing your risk of the aforementioned health issues and you’re going to feel average.
I think stand-up desks are fantastic, but not for supposedly mitigating all of those health issues, in this post I'll delve specifically into my standing desk benefits.
Since alternating between a regular desk and a standing desk for prolonged periods of time I’ve noticed the following standing desk benefits:
My posture has improved
I always try to stay vigilant when it comes to my posture, performing deadlifts etc. in the gym is fantastic for working on your posture however sitting in a chair for 8 hours a day can negate any posture based exercises you’re doing if you’re slouching or sitting poorly with rounded shoulders while at your desk.
While working from my stand-up desk I’ve noticed my posture has improved, I’m no longer catching myself out with bad posture throughout the day.
My lower back issues are not-so apparent
Having suffered lower back issues several years ago sitting for prolonged periods of time (depending on the chair and my position) can agrevate and tighten my lower back. Spending time standing instead of sitting while working has alleviated the tightness in my lower back. It’s worth noting that I do follow a back stretching routine and utilize my foam roller every other day however spending that long seated still causes issues.
When seated (poorly) dependency on the seat to support your torso is all too apparent, your core is hardy engaged. When standing at my stand up desk my entire core (abdominals & lower back) are engaged.
My productivity (while standing) has increased
It’s easy to get unproductive and off track when you’re slouching in your chair, the worse my posture becomes the worse the quality or volume of work I’m doing also becomes…
When I’m working from my stand-up desk I don’t get distracted or allow myself to venture away from the tasks on my to-do list.
I feel like I have more energy
This ties in with the above benefit I’ve noticed with productivity, when working from a standing desk I don’t feel as fatigued come the mid afternoon, I attribute this to the increased blood flow circulating around the body when standing vs. sitting.
If you’ve got back or posture issues I highly recommend giving a standing desk a try, converter can be made or bought to turn your regular desk into a stand-up desk, meanwhile the amount of money you can spend on a stand-up desk is nearly endless… with many manufacturers now offering automatic height adjustable stand-up desks with dimensions tailored to your needs.
What’re your thoughts on stand-up desks? Have you noticed any other standing desk benefits? et me know in the comments below