Are Standing Desks Really Any Better For You?

We have become a weight obsessed world. People will go to all sorts of lengths to avert obesity, spending their hard earned dollars on anything that looks promising. It is in this venture that the standing desks were invented — working areas that allow you to work while standing. According to research, standing helps to prevent the buildup of fats that happens when you sit for too long. Apparently, sitting reduces metabolism and calorie burning, hence leading to weight gain.

Benefits Of Standing Desks

Recently, the American Cancer Society discovered that there is a great link between sitting for long periods of time and obesity. The study determined that people who have embraced a sedentary lifestyle (one marked by little or no movement) were at a higher risk of becoming obese as compared to their more active counterparts (people who stand for at least 6 hours in a day). This discrepancy was said to be caused by the fact that standing improves metabolism and the overall burning of calories. Standing desks were thus invented as a way to allow people with traditionally sedentary jobs to stay on their feet. In addition, standing has been shown to reduce the chance of developing cardiovascular diseases and also some types of cancers.

On the other hand, sitting has been known to be a silent killer. It is known to cause massive weight gain even in people who exercise regularly. This is why anything that can replace sitting, i.e. standing desks, has received lots of applause. I mean, what could be better than a strategy that can increase your lifespan? This sounds like some great item sent from the heavens. The question you need to ask, however, is whether or not these standing desks will actually help avert all these troubles. Are they any better than sitting working stations? Does standing necessarily amount to a ditch of your sedentary lifestyle?

The answer is NO. A standing desk is not the ideal solution. Granted, they may reduce the possibility of weight gain, but they may also introduce further complications.

Why?

1. Standing Alone Does Not Burn Calories

According to a study done in the US, it’s not standing that burns calories, but movement in general which helps to burn calories. Therefore, if you invest in a standing desk yet never move around the office, you will not see any progress; standing is just another still position. The standing desk will only help if you keep moving around. So instead of going through the trouble of purchasing this desk, you can try a much simpler route — stand and stretch after every hour you spend sitting.

2. Standing Is Tedious

If you work in an office, you probably spend around 8 hours of your day there. This is quite a bit of time for anyone to be on their feet. Even if you can invest in a comfortable mat to stand on, your feet may start swelling due to the immense pressure you will be placing on them. This is what makes your shoes tend to get tighter after standing for a long time. You honestly don’t want to subject yourself to this type of torture for the rest of your working life now do you?

3. Standing Can Lead To Back Pain

Most people who sit for long periods of time usually complain of severe back pains. These are pains that still persist even after the person engages in serious workout plans. This is one of the reasons why people buy standing desks. However, standing can also cause severe lower back pains: the same back pain you get after long periods of sitting. This should tell you that standing desks will probably not help you alleviate that back pain, and that you should simply exercise regularly and try to move around the office in order to combat these repercussions.

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In the light of the above reasons, it is clear that standing desks are overrated. They honestly don’t seem to do much for you, and in fact could lead to a host of new problems, or worsen the old ones. While it is true they help you to avoid sitting, they will only land you in a sedentary standing lifestyle that is not much better. I mean, how can mere standing help you burn calories? If anything, these desks will only lead to pains, sore legs, and poor concentration. However, you could instead try a convertible working station which allows you to switch between sitting and standing whenever you feel like it (and then do some stretching each time you switch). In addition, try to move around as much as possible, so you can reduce your risk of obesity as well as keep away from the dangers of getting swollen feet and an aching back. Hence, standing desks are only good for you if you use them moderately and combine them with regular exercise.

SOURCES

https://www.glozine.com/lifestyle/health

https://www.techinasia.com/health-benefits-standing-desks-separating-hype-reality


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