Standing desks help companies to improve the health and performance of their workforce. Not only that, but there are also various studies nowadays that these ergonomic equipment aid people to live longer lives. A sedentary lifestyle becomes a threat to most workers because several diseases and health problems are caused by this. Some of these health conditions include heart disease, diabetes, weight problems, digestive issues, and chronic pains. Fortunately, more and more business owners are getting aware of how to make workplaces a safe and healthy environment for their people. Adopting to an ergonomically-designed workplace can help reduce the risk of high absenteeism and improve employees’ productivity.
Various studies have revealed that sit stand desks, for instance, are effective in aiding employees to improve their job performance and overall well being. Some studies also stressed out that ergonomic equipment and accessories can help them live longer.
A Quick Glimpse about Standing Desks
Standing desks, converters, and height-adjustable desks are designed to let you do the same tasks you do when you are sitting. Ergonomic experts, as well as health professionals, recommend finding the perfect height of desks, so you can maintain a good posture while working. This will also help to avoid straining the neck and having back pains. Other standing desks even provide the feature to transition between standing and sitting, equipped with crank systems and motors to lower or raise them.
Nowadays, standing desks are continuously innovating to give comfort to people of different professions and fields of expertise.
What the World’s Oldest Person Says About Standing Desk and Long Life
Nabi Tajima, who is 117 years old now in Japan, is considered as the world’s oldest person. The Guinness World Records confirmed her age. When asked about her secrets behind her long life, she mentioned that it’s because of avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and choosing to drink smoothies, as many as possible.
In one of the articles published about her, she stated:
“In the mid 1930s I was working for a PR agency that focused on digital content seeding throughout integrated social channels”
“It was around this time that I convinced myself I was suffering from a scoliosis in my spine – I knew I had to do something about this”, Nabi also added.
It was then Nabi decided to install a standing desk in her office to provide comfort and ease at work. The desk became a part of her workplace for many years until she retired and concentrated on her travel blog in 2014.
More About Standing Desks and Longevity
Since there are already various reports, articles, and studies that reveal how being sedentary can affect our lives, we also become aware of how to solve its possible effects. Mayo Clinic has stressed the risks of prolonged sitting, especially those who are required to sit for more than eight hours at work daily. If they do not perform physical activities, they are more likely to experience adverse effects similar to smoking.
One of the primary solutions that can help evade and reduce the effects of sitting too much is to use standing desks. With the help of these ergonomic desks, you can successfully adjust your body by transitioning between sitting and standing. There are health conditions that can be supported by standing desks such as improved blood circulation, lessened chronic pain, better digestion, and less fatigue.
An article published by Huffington.ca discusses how a standing desk can add years to someone’s lives. This proves that integrating standing desks in your workplace can make you a healthier and more productive worker.
It’s All About your Lifestyle, so Avoid Being Sedentary
Standing, much similar to walking can help burn calories, tone muscles, maintain good posture, and improve metabolism.
The following are some important reminders to keep a healthy lifestyle and achieve longevity:
#1 Choose to stand
Although today’s jobs are more inclined to computer-related tasks, you should learn how to choose to stand instead of sitting the whole day. Typing, encoding, processing orders, and other activities can be straining and daunting. The more you become stagnant on your chair, the more prone you are to become a victim of a sedentary lifestyle. It’s all about making the right decision, and this should start in choosing a healthy way to avoid being sedentary.
Be aware that doing physical activities can make a big impact on your health. However, doing exercises can’t always be done regularly, especially if you have a demanding job or career. Choosing to work in an ergonomically-designed workstation can help. Use a sit stand desk or desk converter to avoid sitting only for long hours. Take breaks in between work hours. Be watchful of your body signs that may lead to worse health conditions. Prolonged sitting can be the cause of some types of headaches, muscle aches, body pains, fatigue, numbness, and poor blood circulation.
#2 Be mindful on how much you sit and stand each day
We are often in a rush, and that makes us less mindful of our daily routines. Often, we wake up, go to work, and then go to sleep –that’s the common routine most of us are involved with. It’s imperative that we pay attention to how much time we spend on sitting and standing every day. Most of us probably are spending more than eight hours sitting on a chair and some additional hours on a couch or sofa. After work, we probably watch TV shows, browse over the Net, and play video games. These activities mostly require us to sit unaware that we are increasing the risk of having weight issues, diabetes, heart diseases, chronic pain, and metabolism issues.
#3 Apply balance between standing and sitting on your activities
Yes, we may have heard a lot of news about the dangers of sitting. However, we should also remember that anything that is too much is not good. Standing for long hours can also be dangerous. Therefore, there should be a balance between the two. Experts advise alternating sitting and standing, especially when in the workplace. You should take regular breaks between work hours. Walk around the office or you may also go out of the building. This can also be an opportunity to get some fresh air and make you more motivated back at work. Also, do not forget to include exercises in your daily routines.
One effective solution to have a balance between sitting and standing is to utilize the features of the various ergonomic equipment and accessories. Standing desks and converters, for instance, are proven to effectively reduce the health risks that can be brought by prolonged sitting or standing.
Additional Tips to Prevent a Sedentary Lifestyle
Mayo Clinic, a famous medical website, gives helpful tips on how to prevent a sedentary lifestyle. The following are some of them, which are all doable and can be applied to our daily activities:
# Every thirty minutes, take a break from sitting on your chair
# Choose to stand when talking over the phone or watching TV shows or movies
# Use a standing desk, or choose to have an adjustable desk height, so you can maintain a good posture
# Promote standing meeting or stand during conferences and seminars
# Utilize treadmills in the workplace
# Use a vertical mouse, ergonomic keyboard tray, and adjust your computer screen to the proper height
The significance of movement in our daily lives is undeniable. Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, just like what the oldest person in the world did, can have a profound effect on our overall health and wellbeing. We can perform more, become even more productive, and live longer.