You all must be aware that ‘smoking is injurious to health.’ However, do you know that in the current era ‘sitting is the new smoking?’ A lot of research conducted by some premier institutes all over the world demonstrates that being sedentary increases the risk of premature death more than even smoking.

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Surprisingly, such a situation can persist even if you are exercising daily. As a result, many companies have started resorting to the concept of Standing Desk. Now, the point worth pondering here is that are standing desk a good idea to invest? 

This article attempts to give you a clear picture of the pros and cons of standing desks at work. It also aims to orient you with ways wherein you may maximize the benefits, minimize the drawbacks, and get the best possible advantage if you are using a standing desk at the office.

Benefits of Standing Desk

• Weight reduction: According to a popular research, standing helps in burning 50 calories more than sitting on an hourly basis. So, suppose if you work for around 45 hours a week, you end up losing approximately (45 X 50 =) 2,250 calories just by standing. In addition, the research also demonstrated that those workers who did not gain weight sat much less than their colleagues. Moreover, the efficacy of weight loss can increase if the workers start walking around more along with standing.
• Better posture: From the point of view of ergonomics, a standing desk is certainly a smart option. It not only helps improve your posture but also reduces eye strain. Also, standing helps improve your core strength, thereby ensuring a better overall posture. Moreover, standing also prevents you from hunching over or slouching as you tap on your keyboard. In addition, the soreness experienced in the lower back (especially the tailbone) is a lot less with standing than sitting for 8-10 hours a day.
• Better energy levels: Have you observed that sitting continuously at your workplace can make you feel sleepy, dull, and drowsy by the end of the day? On the contrary, standing keeps you alert all the time and makes it a lot harder for you to sleep while working. Standing also helps you be aware of your body in a much better manner than sitting. As a result, you tend to feel more active and energetic even at the end of a day’s work.
• Reduced risk of disease and prolongation of life: A popular study conducted in 2011 has a found a link between prolonged sitting and cancers; especially those involving the colon and breast. The same study also elicited that even cancers involving the lungs, ovaries, and prostate have a strong link to prolonged sitting. Moreover, sitting too much has also been related to lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. However, if sitting chronically for long hours can cause several fatal diseases, standing at the workplace can increase life expectancy. In fact, reducing the standard sitting time from 6 hours to 3 hours has been shown to increase the life expectancy by 2 years.

Disadvantages of Standing Desk

• Acclimatization issues: If you decide to start working on a standing desk without preparing yourself mentally and physically, it can cause a great deal of discomfort. Since you might have been accustomed to sitting at work for the past many years, the sudden transition to standing and working may be difficult. Different people may take a different length of time to get acclimatized to the situation. If you fail to adapt to the situation, you may have to consider quitting the job as well.
• Health issues: Frequent standing can compress the spine and cause lower back problems over time. It can also increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, and other cardiovascular problems. Such complaints can manifest since the heart has to fight gravity to keep blood flowing up from your toes. According to a famous study mentioned in a popular journal, the risk of heart disease (over about a 12-year period) doubled for workers who primarily stood at their job than people who mostly sat. In addition, if you already have any pre-existing diseases, especially related to the back, knees, or legs, standing for 6-8 hours can put extra load on your body. Such a situation might even aggravate your complaints.
• Everybody can see you: If you are standing tall at your workplace, everybody can see you. Many people may not be comfortable with the fact that everyone is watching them. Suppose you have a bad hair day, or you have some coffee stain spilled on your dress. Once you are under the radar, all such things can make you extremely conscious. Also, some people might not be so comfortable with their body, owing to a bulging tummy or an extensive derrière. These factors can affect the confidence of the employees and may lead to decreased productivity at work.

So, are standing desks advantageous or disadvantageous? It can be both. ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re standing or sitting if you’re doing it statically, your body wasn’t designed that way. You need to move.’ asserts Ken Tameling, an ergonomic seating expert, who works in a famous furniture company.

The best solution to this problem is to follow the 20:8:2 schedule, which involves sitting (in a good posture) for 20 minutes, standing for 8 minutes, and moving (think gentle stretching or walking) for 2 minutes. Studies have shown that if you change gears from sitting to standing and vice versa frequently throughout the day, it can completely eliminate any of the supposed risk factors linked to sitting or standing.

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