Standing desks are all the rage and I happen to love that we have sit-to-stand desks at Gossip Genie. Why? It gives you the option to stand (and be health-conscious) and still get work done. Standing, even leisure standing, has major risk-reducing health benefits.
Hello, Burning Calories
I don’t mean to state the obvious, but yes, standing burns more calories than sitting. In a calorie-burning competition of standing vs. sitting, standing will come out as the winner, every time. To remain upright, rather than sit, requires more effort. Hence, calories lost.
Although it won’t help burn A LOT of calories, it still does more for you than sitting for 8+ hours a day, 5 days of the week. Plus, it makes you feel better about yourself, doesn’t it?
Bye-Bye, Paresthesia
Although the correct term is, “paresthesia” — we often refer to it as our body part “falling asleep”, “pins and needles”, “tingly feeling”, etc. By standing rather than sitting at your desk, your body parts that are prone to falling asleep are less likely to do just that.
See Ya Later, Bad Posture
Slouching — The sitting curse. We all do it, accidentally. You’re working away on your computer for a couple hours and suddenly you feel yourself leaning over your desk. You shock yourself back into the right sitting position… and then you repeat this several times a day. With a standing desk, you don’t have to worry about this issue and you can keep your posture at its best, all day long.
Adios, Health Problems
Standing can increase your energy and set off a series of triggers in your body. According to the Mayo Clinic, “The muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall — and your health risks increase.” When you are standing and moving, your health is in better hands. To add to this, numerous studies show that prolonged sitting increases the likelihood of obesity, cancer, back pain, heart disease, and mortality. That’s enough to make me say goodbye to my sit-down desk.
Why don’t you give standing desks a shot? Ease into standing for longer periods of time each day. Cue Fergie: “I be up in the gym at my desk just working on my fitness.”
