Let’s be real for a moment; it’s no secret that sitting for 8, 9, 10+ hours every day is not exactly healthy. In fact, those not taking advantage of office wellness resources like treadmill desks (or standing desks at all, for that matter) are at a massive risk of things like high blood pressure, joint stiffness, poor circulation, abnormal cholesterol levels, weight gain, you name it.
There is a reason why sitting all day is referred to as 'the new smoking.' According to Mayo Clinic, 13 independent studies discovered that people who sit for 8+ hours every day without any physical activity tend to have lower lifespans.
Couple that with the reality that over 80% of American jobs are predominantly sedentary, it can easily become a downward spiral into a pool of health concerns on a coast-to-coast level. But here’s the silver lining zinger: These far too common health issues may be prevalent for frequent sitters, but you can easily regain control of your health and reduce/eliminate those risks by simply…standing up.
Top Health Benefits Of Standing Desks
- Better Mood & Higher Energy
There is no denying that mood and energy go hand in hand. When you feel good, you are generally more focused, creative, and productive because you have higher energy levels that tag along with it. And you guessed it, these are all things that can stem from owning a standing desk. Part of this comes from better blood circulation to the brain, part from those feel-good endorphins that release when you stand, and partly because it reduces feelings of stress and anxiety.
For more insight, tons of studies, such as the one showcased on ScienceDirect, have debunked that standing improves mood, reduces fatigue, and enhances quality of life. In short, it doesn't matter your age or work role; if you have a standing desk, you can expect to gain this mood and energizing benefit.
- Keeps Circulation Flowing Nicely
This one likely may go without saying, but standing in the office or at home is a wonderful way to keep healthy circulation going. Though sitting has its perks here and there, sitting too much can cause a discrepancy in blood flow throughout the body. This is especially true regarding your legs, where prolonged sitting can lead to peripheral neuropathy, varicose veins, swollen ankles, and in worse-case scenarios, blood clots. So, improve your office wellness and give your body the flow boost it needs by standing up. Doing so enables you to promote better circulation to your extremities, improves focus/productivity, and helps keep you healthy on the inside.
Psst – Don’t forget to stretch too!
- Increases Brain Performance
The brain sure does work in mysterious ways, and usually subconsciously. It might sound weird that standing can optimize your performance, but it can and certainly does. When you stand, you are also activating your psychological power of giving your brain something mindless to focus on so you can concentrate on the larger tasks. For example, when you stand, certain parts of your brain keep you occupied, like toe-tapping or staying balanced. In response, you ultimately free up more “space” to concentrate on your work and attain better performance.
Still confused? Think of it this way: Your mind becomes more engaged when you stand. When your mind is engaged, your mood improves, your productivity skyrockets, and your creative passion flows easier. That, along with keeping parts of your brain occupied on mindless tasks (i.e., swaying, toe tapping), all form the perfect grounds to unlock peak brain performance.
- Reduces Risk Of Heart Disease
When you sit for hours a day without breaks or any physical activity, your body’s production of lipoprotein lipase drops by a whopping 90%, making it very hard for your body to use fat (thus, it gets stored). When this happens, it can also spark insulin resistance, leading to Type II diabetes and obesity – the two main drivers of heart disease.
Circling back to standing desks, these assets allow you to implement regular bouts of standing daily, leading to lower blood sugar levels, lower "bad" cholesterol levels, and reduced risk of weight gain from the minor yet highly impactful added muscle activity it takes to stand. Collectively, these positive health impacts translate to a lower risk of heart disease, something that has been extensively proven via studies like the one found in The National Library of Medicine.
- More Comfort Equals Better Productivity
Believe it or not, sometimes better mental health boils down to being as comfortable as possible. And let's face it – sitting all day long is far from cozy. This is where standing desks come into play because it allows you to stop clogging your mind with how uncomfortable you are and do something about it. According to a Texas A&M University 2016 study, 46% of call center employees were more productive when using adjustable standing desks, and 75% said it decreased their overall body discomfort. This led to the conclusion that increased productivity and better wellness are heavily related to people being merely more comfortable.
Wait! What About Treadmill Desks?
Standing desks and treadmill desks are not just a luxury anymore in the corporate/work-from-home world…but a full-blow necessity. There is also a good chance you've heard in conversational passing just how powerful standing desks can be at optimizing mental and physical health from head to toe. From shedding pounds (yes, standing can burn 100-200 calories per hour) to eliminating back pain, investing in standing desks is the most effective way to regain control of your health. But did you know that you take it a step further by actually taking steps?
All in all, treadmill desks are a wonderful health and wellness-boosting asset for those who refuse to sacrifice their life quality while trying to make a living. That said, treadmill desks offer all the same amazing benefits as standing desks as mentioned above, but with some added perks that are more than worth mentioning for anyone seeking to kill several MORE birds with one stone.
- Say Goodbye To Anterior Pelvic Tilt
Did you know that anterior pelvic tilt (caused by sitting too much) is one of the main causes of postural issues that lead to back/neck pain? By definition, anterior pelvic tilt is when your pelvis is rotated forward, which causes your spine to curve. This results in painful back and neck adversities, imbalanced posture, muscle strains, and a bulging abdomen.
The good news is that anterior pelvic tilt can be fixed with the right stretches and exercises and can be prevented from returning by staying active. In general, treadmill desks allow you to stretch your spine and pelvic area without strain and helps strengthen hip mobility – making walking in-between sitting the perfect blend to combat exiting anterior pelvic tilt and keeping it away for good.
- Lowers Blood Sugar Levels & Risk Of Type II Diabetes
First and foremost, blood sugar and Type II diabetes are super correlated. The higher your blood pressure sticks at, the higher your risk of developing Type II diabetes. Now, it is normal for blood sugar to rise after eating. But the cool part is that walking can help your body dispose of those sugars into your skeletal muscle much easier than if you were sitting. Moderate walking with a treadmill desk can influence muscle contractions, increase insulin activity, and even uptake your glucose levels. This means that walking not only can keep blood sugar levels at bay but can also help eliminate your risk of Type II diabetes altogether.
Disclaimer: Walking is not a fool-proof way to avoid diabetes or high blood pressure. Though staying active alongside a healthy diet can certainly help set your health in the right direction, treadmill desks should not be considered a replacement for medical assistance.
- Can Help You Lose Weight (Yes, You Did Read That Right)
Staying active, getting your heart rate up, and building muscle are all very important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, which standing alone cannot compete with. This is where treadmill desks shine the most. Now, it's worth noting that standing desks do help burn more calories than sitting ones, for the mere fact that standing burns, on average, 100-200 calories per hour. HOWEVER…you best bet that walking can help keep you on the horse with your weight loss/weight maintenance goals much more effectively. Doing a little math, burning one calorie takes about 20 steps. This means you can easily burn up to 500 calories with about 10,000 steps, which should take roughly an hour and a half to do. Or way faster if you decide to opt for an incline!
Nonetheless, treadmill desks are a powerhouse calorie-burning asset that you can do anytime, anywhere – yes, even while updating that overdue spreadsheet. This level of office wellness and whole-body fitness cannot be achieved with a sitting desk. So if you want to see the pounds drop, your stamina strengthen, and have the opportunity to place your health first even during working hours, a treadmill desk is the most innovative and proven route to go.
Ready To Take A Stand On Your Health?
Humans were not meant to sit all day long. Even more, no one was meant to stand all day long either – which renders a whole other unique range of issues. The solution? To give yourself the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds by ditching seated desks and investing in standing/treadmill ones instead. But more importantly, from a brand that actually values the trajectory of your health and productivity just as much as you do.
Established with a mission to advance office wellness and prove there is a healthier way to work, Healthy Desk Depotis home to a vast inventory of treadmill desks, standing desks, and more all designed to significantly reshape your health. In the end, there's a traditional saying that when you have your health, you’ve got everything. And if you genuinely want to take a stand on your health and see just how transformative this switch can be, have the peace of mind knowing you’re just a few clicks away from making that happen.
Want to improve your life for the better both physically and mentally? If so, contact Healthy Desk Depot today to begin propelling your wellness initiatives forward.