Researchers agree that only standing or sitting while at work is seriously disadvantageous. Several workers spend more than seven hours a day sitting, increasing to more than ten hours as they age. It is not surprising when you look at our daily routines, which consist of sitting at our desks or in our cars. The main issue with sitting for long periods is that our bodies have not been made to sit in the same position all day long. It has significant impacts on our bodies, like weakened bones or muscle and neck strains. Also, as much as standing is a natural human posture, working while standing for long periods can lead to health effects like back pains, swollen legs, sore feet, fatigue, and varicose veins.
To have a healthy and productive day, you need to balance sitting and standing during your working days. Here are some reasons for balancing the two positions;
1. It improves your concentration.
When you alternate between standing and sitting while working, you ensure that there is better blood circulation throughout your body, including your brain, which needs and gets more oxygen. It is scientifically proven that when the brain has enough oxygen supply, it has more capacity to function correctly. When the brain lacks enough oxygen, people lose concentration and balance and therefore fall. It, among other advantages, leads to an improved concentration level.
2. Improves metabolism
Balancing between standing and sitting can improve metabolism. In a Reuters article, a doctor revealed in a report that people who have a sedentary lifestyle have a high chance of developing metabolic syndrome. It can increase the chances of high blood pressure, obesity, type two diabetes, and heart diseases. For jobs that require sitting for extended periods, alternating between sitting and standing can help to reduce the risk of such diseases by improving your metabolism levels.
3. It gives you more energy.
Balancing between sitting and standing during your working day energizes your mind and whole body. Exhaustion caused by a static posture builds throughout the day and usually gets noticed during the afternoon hours, negatively impacting your performance levels. Another benefit is that we can do almost all demanding tasks while standing. Have you ever realized that when you get a tough call or one that makes you nervous most of the time, you stand up while picking it up? When you take that tough call while standing, you can move your whole body, which helps you manage your emotions in a better manner and, at the same time, handle those conversations in a more accessible form.
4. Prolongs your life
I started the article by saying our bodies have not been engineered to sit for long hours. Your body is a vessel that needs to be protected from any harm because when it suffers, our whole wellbeing gets affected, increasing our chances of mortality. Research by Mayo Clinic shows that extended sitting like behind the wheel, at a desk, and in front of a screen is very harmful. 13 studies were analyzed on sitting time and the body's activity levels. It was found that people who sat for more than 8 hours a day without physical activities had a death risk similar to the deadly dangers posed by smoking and obesity. It is incredible how a simple balance between standing and sitting can change our lifestyle and improve the quality of our lives.
5. Burns calories
Balancing between sitting and standing while at work burns more calories in your body. We are not very active in the office; hence burning calories mainly requires going to the gym, and using your keyboard burns only 34kcal every thirty minutes. However, shifting between sitting and standing while at work makes your heart pump around ten times more blood around your body. You still need to exercise regularly, but this is much better than only sitting for long hours in a day.
6. Increases creativity
Several experts say that your brain can spawn 2.5 times more new ideas by shifting between standing and sitting positions. If you need to have a brainstorming session involving creativity, ensure there is enough variation between standing and sitting throughout your day or take more walks.
With this in mind, what are some ways you can use to shift positions during your workdays?
a. Get out and eat during your lunch break. When going for your lunch break outside, you should consider spots that require more extended strolls. Instead of getting frustrated at the long line while ordering food, think of it as making a dent in your standing time. If you carry your lunch to work, consider walking around your block or floor as you eat.
b. Time yourself. There have been debates on why it is good to stand in an office but less information on how long you need to stand, and this has misled many people who end up standing all day. Ensure that you are not overdoing both your sitting and standing. To get the right balance, researchers recommend that you sit for 20 minutes out of every 30 minutes, stand for 8 minutes, and walk around for at least 2minutes. Although there isn’t any harm in moving around, you might get tired by the end of the day.
c. Use a sit-stand desk. Standing desks are becoming more popular with time, especially during the pandemic, which forced several people to work from home. The best thing about these desks is that they have a height-adjustable feature that allows you to fix your height however you want. Standing desks allow you to shift positions from standing to sitting and help correct your posture to prevent back pain or spinal injuries while working for long periods. Apart from standing desks, there are sit-stand desk converters which have several benefits for people who spend long working hours. The benefits of a sit-stand desk converter include;
d. Maintaining a healthy weight. The Harvard health blog says that someone who sits down often burns fewer calories than one who stands. A sit-stand desk from Flexispot gives you the chance to alternate easily from standing to sitting during your working hours. Take advantage of this furniture from Flexispot if you need to stay fit, then combine it with a healthy diet and exercise.
e. A sit-stand desk gives you minor neck and back pain. With all the advantages of technology, it has managed to tie us down while working for long hours in front of our computers. When this happens, we put too much pressure on our spines, making them lose their alignment with time. Everyone has had to experience back, neck, and spine issues caused by poor posture. Switching between sitting and standing lets the spine return to its normal position. It has been made easier with Flexispot sit-stand desk converters which you can find on their website for a reasonable price.
f. Finally, desk converters make your workstation enjoyable because office wellness is critical for your health and productivity.
Balancing between standing and sitting is not only critical for your work performance but also for your health outside your work environment as well. While we have given you reasons why balancing your sitting and standing is essential, it all comes down to your furniture. Picking good ergonomic furniture allows you to change positions during work, and you can also train yourself and other employees on the correct postures that can save your health at the workplace. At Flexispot, we have a wide range of furniture to provide a healthy work environment, from standing desks and ergonomic office chairs to desk converters. Visit Flexispot and get yourself a healthy and productive life.
Sources
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-fitness-metabolic-syndrome-idUSKBN1AK24R
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
