What are the benefits of a standing desk?

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Our world has been completely flipped upside down from the pandemic. Without a moment’s notice, we were asked to work from home. While at home, we had the privilege to work from any corner of our house we wanted to. We could stand at the counter with our laptop; sit on the couch, or even at a desk. But as we return to work, many Americans must return to a static seated desk from which they conduct most of their work. But after getting to work from home, we are starting to wonder if there are other options when it comes to how we spend our time each day at work; seated or standing.

So what are the benefits of a standing desk? The most exciting benefits of a standing desk are improved productivity, improved mood, and reduced back pain.

In this article, we’ll discuss the variety of benefits of a standing desk and ways you can implement an electric standing desk as you head back into the office.

 Improved Productivity

We all want to be more efficient when it comes to working. We might change software, hire an extra person, or plan out our days to be more productive- but what if I told you all you needed to do to be more productive was simply change your desk from seated to standing? 

According to a study done by Texas A&M University’s Health Science Center School of Public Health, a standing desk increases your productivity significantly. By the sixth month of the study, the individuals working from a standing desk were 53 times more productive than their counterparts who were working from a seated desk. By simply changing their desk from a seated desk to a standing desk, these employees were able to be more productive and produce better results for their company and business. 

So what exactly is it about the standing desk that increases productivity? Individuals who are standing have a faster response time than those who are sitting; therefore, they’re able to make quicker decisions, thus multiplying over time- resulting in a more productive work environment. Forbes proved this to be true when they reported on a test that was conducted known as the Stroop Test. The Stroop Test measures the lag our brains experience when processing contradictory stimuli. The results of the Stroop test for the standing desk study revealed a 20-millisecond difference between the processing times of the standing and seated individuals- standing individuals having the faster time.

Overall, the only change we need to make when we head back to the office is the position of our desk. This is one of the many benefits of a standing desk over a seated one. But wait, there’s more! Let’s talk about another key benefit- improved mood. 

 Improved mood

Do you think only coffee can make you happy? Wrong-o! It’s been shown in many studies that a standing desk can also improve your mood and increase mental clarity, inner peace, and relaxation.

According to Fit Nest, there is science behind this phenomenon. According to a study, it’s beneficial to your mood to stand more often throughout the day because it increases blood flow to your brain and increases oxygen level to your brain as well. By increase these two things, you will experience better brain function and less burnout.

This site also reported that small movements throughout the day such as standing decrease your stress and anxiety levels throughout the day, thus leaving more time for the positive vibes and the happy thoughts to consume your brain- resulted in improved mood.

Reduce back pain

As we grow older and we get deeper into our desk jobs, we start to discover the uncomfortable reality that lower back comes is just a part of the process. However, according to a short study in 2018 which was conducted by UT Southwestern Medical Center, it showed that those who utilized a standing desk were 50% less likely to report lower back pain. 

Although lower back pain was less reported in individuals with standing desks- standing desks are not the cure-all for back pain. It is also suggested by the same study that correcting your posture while utilizing a standing desk is also very important. 

Conclusion

Committing to a standing desk doesn’t mean you have to stand all day, every day at work; but it gives you the option to do so more often while remaining focused and efficient. You can also get a standing desk stool so you can also sit occasionally. Perhaps you could work from a standing desk 4 hours per day, to begin with, and slowly increase your time standing. Like anything, balance is important but the studies suggest that standing more often during the day can heavily benefit your productivity, your mood and ultimately reduce your back pain.