The sedentary lifestyle has plagued many individuals for years, decades even. The rise of the computer has opened up the world for so many people, but it has also bound a lot of individuals to their chairs—at work, in school, and even in their own homes.
Over the past few years, many of us have come to understand the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, and many solutions have been offered to bring relief and positive lifestyle change. At the forefront of these solutions is the standing desk.
Is standing desk the end of our sedentary life?
First popularized in the workplace, the standing desk can now be found in schools and homes. It transforms the fixed desk into a movable desk, adjustable in terms of height. It is designed to accommodate people whether they are sitting or standing, allowing them to work, study, or do their tasks even as they stand.
The expectation is that the standing desk will encourage individuals to constantly shift between sitting and standing throughout the day, making them move more and keep engaging their muscles.
A closer look at the sit-stand lifestyle
Many individuals and health specialists today advocate for the sit-stand lifestyle as the first step to breaking free from sedentary habits.
But why? Well, the nature of most of people’s work today is characterized by the use of a computer or a laptop. Our days are made up of reading and answering emails, attending face-to-face and virtual meetings, analyzing data, writing reports, and similar other activities, all of which bound an individual to his chair for over eight hours a day.
The results? Well, most people complain about back pain. In fact, statistics indicates that as much as 38% of individuals doing clerical work suffer from this condition. This can impact a person’s focus and productivity at work, cause absences and leaves, incur medical costs on both the employee and the employer, and lead to even more debilitating diseases such as spinal problems. Apart from this, the sedentary lifestyle is also associated with other non-back-related health conditions, including diabetes and heart ailments.
The practice of the sit-stand lifestyle and the use of a standing desk are seen as among the leading and most feasible solutions to combatting the sedentary lifestyle that has become the lifestyle of many people today. It gives individuals working on their computer the option to break free from the chair and to stand as they work, alternating between sitting and standing so that they don’t have to sit for too long.
In the process of shifting between sitting and standing, they are able to enjoy the following benefits:
- They are able to correct any posture problem by moving more
- Keeping their back muscles moving and engaged reduces the occurrence of back pain, as well as pain in other parts of the body (neck and shoulder pain, numbness on the legs, etc.)
- The constant movement also promotes blood circulation throughout the body, and this is helpful for the different organs that need a healthy blood supply to function well
- The increased oxygen circulation to the brain keeps it working well and enables the individual to focus more, think more strategically, solve problems better, be more creative, and overall become more productive
- The sit-stand lifestyle reduces the risks of developing health problems due to sedentary habits
The sit-stand lifestyle is a simple lifestyle that anyone can adopt. All you have to do is to find the right standing desk partner, start practicing the habit, and then stick to it. You can start small and slow, and then build on it through discipline and consistency.
The right standing desk for you
Once you have decided to give the sit-stand lifestyle a go, the first step to take is to find the right standing desk. Choose a desk that has the right height range, load capacity, and a powerful motor to make the shift between heights fast, easy, and smooth.
Find a high-quality standing desk with sturdy frames and a tabletop that is wide enough to accommodate all of your work equipment. With the right sit-stand desk, breaking free from a sedentary lifestyle is possible.
