Sitting for long periods can have a negative impact on your health. Fortunately, a standing desk can help mitigate these negative effects and help you lead a healthy, active life. Indeed, many surveys have shown that using standing desk reduces the risks of back, neck and shoulder problems, diabetes, cholesterol and obesity. In this guide about standing desks, we will share with you their advantages, the types available, and many tips that you will love.
Definition and characteristics of a standing desk
A standing desk is a desk that allows you to move from a sitting position to a standing position, through a sitting/standing position, very easily thanks to a manual or electric adjustment. A sit stand desk can be available in different colours (white, black, grey oak...), with their height ranging from 80 to 180 cm, for maximum comfort.
Types of standing desk
There are two main categories of stand up desk available today which are manual and electric.
Manual standing Desks
Here, a simple crank handle allows you to adjust the height of your desk. Less expensive, the manual desk is also more mobile and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, you lose in precision and speed.
Electric standing Desks
The variant features a motorized lifting system, you simply press a button to adjust the height of the desk and change position in just a few seconds. In addition to speed, the electric standing desk offers many other benefits. These benefits include:
- Position memory: Some models offer to memorize different heights that correspond to your body type and your working habits.
- Connectivity: You can connect your sit-stand desk to an app for Android or iOS to have quick and intuitive access to a wide range of features. This will allow you to adjust the height, remember certain positions or even set position alerts prompting you to change your position.
- Charging Station: Some desks are going to have one or more USB ports on the control panel. This will allow you to plug in your headset, keyboard, smartphone or mouse.
- Anti-collision system: An anti-collision system will allow the desk to stop any movement if it encounters any obstacle. This is useful to avoid damage to your desk motor and nearby objects or furniture.
- Child Safety: To avoid the risk of injury, the child lock can be activated when you are not using your desk.
- Touch screen: For more convenience, the traditional buttons can be replaced by a touch panel. The energy-saving display automatically dims when not in use.
Advantages of standing desks
The use of a height adjustable desk offers many benefits to the health of the user, both in terms of comfort and concentration. Below, we share with you the most interesting ones:
Improves Your Health
Sitting for long periods is not good for your health, as it can lead to back problems, heart disease, diabetes, etc. However, standing for too long isn't necessarily positive either. A middle ground is a reasonable alternative to putting all the balls in your court. With the use of a sit-stand desk, you can alternate your positions and therefore your posture as you wish, which is more natural and healthy for your body.
Increased blood circulation
Working while standing helps promote better blood circulation, which can reduce the risk of heavy legs and varicose veins. With height adjustable desks, you can change your posture throughout your office hours, which can help relieve muscle tension and improve your well-being at the office. In short, they allow you to enjoy the benefits of working in a standing position while offering the flexibility of working seated as well, which is why they are becoming increasingly popular.
You burn more calories
When we sit, our body uses very little energy. Our muscular activity remains very low and there is a significant decrease in the number of calories burned. You can use a height-adjustable desk to overcome this problem. Indeed, according to medlineplus, we burn around 186 calories/hours in a standing position (vs. 139 calories). However, it is essential to alternate these two postures as required. If you have never used a standing desk, start by sitting for 20 minutes and then stand for the same amount of time. You can increase the intervals as you get used to working in the standing position.
Reduced stress and fatigue
Working in a standing position can be less stressful and less fatiguing to the body. Indeed, despite improving blood circulation, as it allows for regular changes in position throughout the workday. These variations in work postures can help boost metabolism, which can reduce the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. It can also help increase energy and focus, which can improve office productivity (which is our next point).
To increase your productivity
Working at your standing desk can increase your concentration in several ways. First of all, the fact that your muscles are constantly being used makes you feel less uncomfortable, and because you are more alert, the feeling of drowsiness that you get from using a seated desk eventually fades away. Second, you are able to be more active because you have more freedom to move around and switch from one leg to the other. Moreover, and as we said earlier, standing up improves blood circulation, which in turn keeps our brains active and ready to generate new ideas.
How to choose a sit-stand desk
Choosing a good standing desk requires checking several parameters, and this section, we are happy to share with you the most important ones.
The size of your work area
If you already have a desk and don't want to change it, you can opt for a desk riser, which offers the same benefits as the larger models. You can also opt for a compact standing desk with wheels. If you have the space, however, don't hesitate to invest in a large standing desk, which will allow you to support larger loads, while having a wider adaptable top.
Cable management systems
The cable management system may seem like a detail, but when you use it, it becomes a must. With a sit-stand desk, it's a given. Having wires lying on the floor, only risks getting your feet caught in them and causing trips and falls, so choose a model with canals and holes that will make it easy to store them and make them invisible. If your product doesn't have them, you should know that there are vented clips, dedicated to support the wires and to keep them at the back of the legs.
Supported Load
This is a criterion that we don't necessarily think about, yet it is important. As your desk is mobile, it will be used regularly, and you need to make sure that the lifting mechanism is strong enough to lift the load easily. So check its maximum capacity.
Choose a brand you can trust
There are many models of sit-stand desks. Invest in a brand that focuses on the customer experience. The best companies offer warranties, decent shipping and flexible return policies.
Price
No surprise regarding the budget for this type of work accessories - it is obviously more expensive than a traditional desk. However, don't let this criterion discourage you and consider your purchase as a long-term investment. If your budget is limited, desktop converters are a less expensive and very attractive.
Manual or electric sit-stand desk?
It all depends on your needs and desires, but both types of models have their advantages and disadvantages. Electric desks may be a bit more expensive, but they make up for it with a significant gain in ease of use. Often equipped with a control panel, they allow you to change position at the touch of a button, without the need for further effort. Most of them can memorize several positions according to your needs, to the nearest centimeter. They also have many interesting features that you will love.
Conclusion
A standing desk is an excellent way to improve your physical and mental health, while allowing you to remain productive in your work environment. You may need to try out different models and settings before you find what works best for you, but the rewards will be well worth it. With the right set up, a standing desk can make a world of difference in how much healthier and energized you feel throughout the day.
