#Collaborative post

If you have a job that requires you to use a computer, you may find that you spend a large portion of your day at your desk. So, if you answered yes, did you know that there are lots of benefits of a standing desk for your health?

It may seem that a standing desk is a little strange when it comes to what we find the norm of working however in Scandinavia 90% of office workers have a sit-stand desk, which all started in the late 1990s. In Denmark, it is the law that all employees should be provided with one too, so it is not a new thing to do, just not the done thing here in the UK.

Sit-Stand desks give you the option of both ways of working, allowing the user to switch between a sitting desk and a standing desk, giving you the best of both worlds, but if you are wondering why you may be looking to get a standing desk, here are just some of the benefits.

Benefits of a sit-stand desk –

Improves posture – Now I am guilty of this, I always sit slouched or with a leg up on my chair when working. Neither of which are very good for your posture, with the standing desks, you naturally improve your posture from where you are standing. It also engages your core muscles which help to strengthen and build those muscles up over time. Another benefit to better posture is it can help reduce lower back pain.
Burns calories and improves blood circulation – Standing naturally encourages movement whilst maintaining your posture, both of which are great for boosting your blood circulation and helping to encourage the enzymes that transfer the bad cholesterol out of your body.
It improves your breathing – Naturally, when you standing, you open up your chest which allows the diaphragm space to do what it needs to do! Now more oxygen combined with better posture is always going to be beneficial.
Burns more calories than sitting – Now this should be a motivation on its own, standing burns more calories than sitting when it comes to working. This should not be a surprise as you will be on your feet for some time and during that time it is highly likely that you will be moving around, even if it is just ever so slightly.
Helps concentration and productivity – Sitting down all day at times can make you sleepy, do you ever notice after lunch that you feel that mid-afternoon lull. Most of us get around that by going for a walk or getting away from our desks. By making your body that little bit more active by standing, it helps to focus the mind and body and overall increase your productivity.

When you take time to look at the benefits of a standing desk, it is clear to see just why many people are starting to move over to them as an alternative. Desks like the Yo Yo Desk PRO 2+ make it easy for you to switch between a standing and sitting desk, giving you the best of both worlds when it comes to working.

How to make the switch to a Sit-Stand desk

If you are still unsure if this is the right option for you, by picking a sit-stand desk, you can allow yourself to build up to standing more often. It is recommended to feel the benefits of the standing desk that you aim to stand for an hour every 1-2 hours a day, standing all day is not always recommended so the mix works well. Now obviously standing for an hour the first time around may be a little too much for you, so starting with 30 minutes intervals may be the best place to start for you.

You will be surprised over time how quickly your body gets used to the change to this style of the desk. With the benefits that come with it, you will also probably be asking yourself, why did you not make the switch before? It is all about us taking what we think is the normal approach to working and looking at better ways to do things.

I’d love to hear if you have a sit-standing desk and how you are getting on with it as I think these may be the way forward for office workers!