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Do you spend a lot of your time sitting behind a desk while you work? You probably have experienced back pain, discomfort in your shoulders, and pressure on your wrists. As you may know, sitting for long hours can adversely affect your health. Eventually, it increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and early death.
Additionally, sitting for long makes you less active and burns very few calories. Furthermore, studies link this to weight gain and obesity. Unfortunately, this is a problem that many office workers face, but the good thing is that they can resolve it.
The answer lies in using a stand-up work desk and ergonomic keyboards. They are ideal for your home office and for shared workspaces. According to new market research, the standing desk market is growing and will reach $2.8 billion by 2025. Find out why you need to switch to a standing workstation.
What is a Stand-Up Work Desk?
A standing desk lets you work on your desktop or laptop while standing in a comfortable position. Interestingly, the market today is awash with many modern versions of standing desks like the Uplift Desk. The best standing desks feature high-quality materials like bamboo and walnut laminate. Besides, they have accessories like a keyboard tray.
Moreover, most of them are adjustable at the push of a button. As such, they let you make a height adjustment with ease for ergonomics and convenience. Consequently, you can easily alternate between standing and sitting. This type is known as the height-adjustable desk or sit-stand desk.
At the very least, a full standing desk helps lower the harmful effects of sitting for long periods. Likewise, they provide additional benefits, grouped into health, productivity, and personal benefits.
Health Benefits of a Stand-Up Work Desk
As previously mentioned, research clearly shows that sitting for prolonged hours is bad for your health. On the other hand, standing has been proven to lower the risk of obesity. Furthermore, standing can lessen back and joint pain. It keeps your muscles in constant use, contrary to what happens when you sit down. Besides, your posture changes and improves when you stand. Other health benefits of using a standing desk include:
- Lower your blood sugar levels
- Lower risk of heart disease
- Improved mood and energy levels
- It helps you live longer
Reducing your sedentary time in your workspace improves your metabolic, mental, and physical health. Also, standing all day as you work improves your sleep at night. Standing takes more energy than sitting, and at the end of the day, you will feel it. The fatigue makes you fall sleep faster.
Productivity Benefits of a Standing Desk
First, there is a misconception you need to be clear about before switching to a standing desk. Initially, you will get tired from standing behind this desk all day long. However, this is not to say that you will experience fatigue forever. In any case, switching to a standing desk increases your energy levels. 87% of users who have switched to these desks reported more vigor. Besides, they have seen a 45% improvement in their productivity throughout the day. This is good for employee satisfaction and creates improved customer service.
Besides, you’ll experience less fatigue and stress while becoming more productive. However, this also depends on the task at hand. Nevertheless, standing increases blood flow to the brain and keeps your blood flow higher throughout the body.
Personal Benefits of a Standing Desk
Overall, an adjustable standing desk makes you feel better about yourself at the end of the day. With time, you’ll notice that you don’t need to rely on that afternoon cup of coffee to keep going. Since you don’t have to stand the whole day long, you can alternate between sitting and standing. Adjust your desk height to sit for an hour and readjust it to stand for two. An electric standing desk is best for this kind of frequent adjustments. Eventually, when you get used to this change, you’ll be more generous about taking breaks when you need them.
Making the Most Out of Your Stand-Up Desk
Once you make the switch to a standing desk, here’s what to do to make the most out of it:
- Find the best height for your desk- experts recommend using a standing desk with your elbow height. All the same, the best size does not make you slump or tweak your muscles while you work. It also enhances your stability as you work.
- Stand on an anti-fatigue mat- the market provides some specially designed mats that lessen the impact of standing on your feet. They will ease the transition from sitting to standing while at work.
- Ease into the new position- don’t be too hard on yourself when making the transition. Begin by standing for shorter hours and progressively increase the intervals. After a few weeks, you’ll feel ready to stand for longer periods.
Final Thoughts
A standing desk is a long-term investment. You can buy one from online marketplaces like Amazon. Unfortunately, many people are still on the fence because of the price factor. Most high-end models go for over $1,000, but they are worth every penny.
If you are not ready to spend money on a standing desk, consider getting yourself a standing desk converter. One of the best standing-desk converters is Uplift V2. It will help you convert your existing desk into a high-quality standing desk. Alternatively, laptop stands can come in handy if you use a laptop. They provide enough space for your notebooks and accessories.