People are genuinely amazed when they learn of the incredible benefits of working on an adjustable desk. Often referred to as a standing desk, altering your working position can help you burn calories, improve your posture, and increase your productivity.
With so many of us now working from home out of necessity and even choice, there’s never been a better time to consider the ergonomics of your home workspace.
In this post, we introduce you to the range of incredible benefits of working on an adjustable desk and highlight how your transition from a seated to standing desk work will boost your professional efficiency.
What is an adjustable desk?
Before we get into the benefits, it’s important to clarify precisely what we mean by an adjustable desk. Basically, an adjustable desk allows you to change the height of your workstation to enable you to stand up while you’re working.
Why continuous sedentary work is ineffective
Studies show that people who sit down for long periods daily increase their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. Another study has found a clear link between continuous sedentary work and obesity, as unsurprisingly, sitting down all day burns very few calories.
But it’s not only your physical health that’s compromised by sitting at your desk for long periods each day. Workers often report feelings of dissatisfaction and irritability after sitting down for long periods and regularly struggle with demotivation and fatigue stemming from their seated position at a desk.
Given the huge variety of industries that require workers to complete desk-based work, it’s evident that a widespread change in workspace ergonomics is needed. So, let’s take a look at the multitude of potential benefits of switching your traditional workstation for a standing desk.
The benefits of working on an adjustable desk
Nascent research into the benefits of working on an adjustable desk is overwhelmingly positive. From reducing the risk of life-threatening illnesses to improving daily productivity, simply enhancing the ergonomics of your workstation can significantly improve your life and wellbeing. In this section, we introduce you to some evidence-backed benefits of working on a standing desk.
Height adjustable desks help you burn calories
According to WebMD, standing helps you shed on average 88 calories per hour. So, by ditching the office chair and standing at your desk, you’re able to effortlessly burn more calories, which reduces your risk of weight gain and obesity.
Furthermore, a study found that standing can burn up to 170 additional calories compared to an afternoon of sedentary, desk-based work. As such, standing at a height-adjustable desk for five afternoons in a week will help you burn 850 calories, significantly more than running for thirty minutes on a treadmill.
Because weight gain, obesity, and heart disease are all heavily linked to prolonged periods of sitting in front of a desk, switching to standing at an adjustable desk can have a remarkably positive impact on your health.
Standing desks can help to reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes
A pioneering yet small study found that standing for 180 minutes after lunch reduced the blood sugar spike of office workers by an incredible 43% compared to those sitting for the same length of time.
Blood sugar spikes following meals are dangerous for your health and can increase your risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes, so standing instead of sitting in the immediate aftermath of eating can help you control your blood sugar levels.
Generally speaking, sitting down for too long exposes you to a 112% higher risk of becoming type two diabetic. It stands to reason, then, that reducing your amount of sedentary time each day can reduce your risk of type two diabetes.
Working from a standing position can improve your posture and reduce back pain
How often have you heard an office worker complain of a bad back? It’s no secret that constantly sitting down, stooped over a computer screen, causes significant problems for your back.
One study found that after only a few weeks of working from standing desks, participants with chronic back issues reported a 32% improvement in their pain levels. This is because standing improves the curvature of your spine and requires straighter posture.
Of course, you have to be careful not to hunch over while standing at your desk, but forcing yourself to keep your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders straight while working can significantly improve your posture.
Height adjustable desks can boost your morale and energy levels
Many office workers report feelings of demotivation and fatigue after sitting and staring at their computer screen from a sedentary position. Constantly sitting is tiring and draining and can affect your morale and overall energy levels.
A recent study of office workers found that 87% of those that switched from sitting to standing desks reported increased vigour and energy throughout their working day. While this sounds a little airy, there’s little doubt that standing, as opposed to sitting, reduces your feelings of fatigue.
More broadly speaking, studies have consistently linked too much sedentary time with heightened anxiety, stress, and even incidences of depression and other mental health conditions. By working from a standing desk, you’re able to improve your mental wellbeing.
Standing desks can increase your productivity
WebMD introduces a study that was conducted amongst call centre employees. It found that workers who operated from a standing desk were 45% more productive when performing their daily tasks than those who sat down for their entire shift.
This is perhaps linked to the fact that it’s easy to get distracted or to become dormant when you’re constantly seated. By working from a standing position, your muscles are engaged, and your body and mind are focused, which improves your stimulation and application.
In recognition of the fact that standing desks can increase employee productivity, many companies have followed the lead of tech giants like Google and Facebook and have provided their staff with the opportunity to work from adjustable desks. One report suggests that the number of companies offering height adjustable desks to their employees increased by 30% in the period from 2012 to 2017.
Height adjustable desks create a more vibrant workspace
Incorporating height-adjustable desks into your office area can significantly improve the flow and layout of your workspace. The ergonomics at play enable you to include more workstations in a tighter space and allow for easier interaction between team members.
A study from the University of Missouri found that people are more communicative and sociable when they stand than they are when seated. Encouraging employees to stand at height-adjustable desks rather than sit at isolated cubicles breaks down office divisions and barriers and ensures the workspace is more fluid and pleasant.
By standing next to one another and communicating freely and easily, you’re likely to see an improvement in the morale and dynamism of your workforce, which can only be a good thing for overall productivity and morale.
Why you should switch to a height-adjustable desk today
As you can see from the multitude of research that has been conducted into the efficacy of height-adjustable desks, they can have a hugely beneficial impact on your health, productivity, and mental wellbeing.
Remember that standing desks also allow you to sit for periods too, so you don’t need to worry about becoming worn out by standing up all day.
At burotic, we’re dedicated to providing only the finest, ergonomically designed adjustable desks to improve your home or office-based workstation. Made from the highest-quality Canadian wood, and boasting aesthetically pleasing, minimalist designs, our standing desks will be an asset to your workstation, regardless of its interior design.
Given the range of undeniable health benefits attributed to switching to an adjustable desk and the notable increases in productivity noted by office workers as they stand up and complete their daily tasks, today is the ideal time to make the switch to an adjustable desk.
For more information about our collection of standing desks or to find out more about our ergonomically designed workstations, you can check out our website or visit our showroom in Blainville, Quebec.
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