It’s time to take a stand for your health! Now, more than ever, we as a society are more prone to being sedentary than active. I recently read an article posted by the Mayo Clinic about the long-term effects of excessive sitting and was shocked to discover its negative effects on our health. According to the Mayo Clinic, an analysis spanning up to thirteen different studies on sitting and activity showed that those who were the least active and prone to sitting for long lengths of time were equally at risk of dying as those who smoked or were obese. [1] Yikes! Thankfully, the solutions to this problem are extremely simple. No biohacking or hacks needed.
Aside from the obvious recommendation to stay active every day, a notable tip that I myself haven’t covered here is standing over sitting (when possible). A lot of people are familiar with the concept of standing desks, but I wanted to go even further and tell you why standing up is beneficial. After all, you can’t just tell someone what to do without providing evidence or detail. So, the next time I or someone else recommends a lifestyle habit such as using a standing desk, you’ll remember why it’s it good for you, instead of taking the recommendation at face value.
Now, let’s not delay this any further. Here are the benefits of standing!

Healthy Weight

While there are more predominant factors behind a healthy weight such as diet and fitness, it’s the little things like monitoring stress and getting enough sleep that adds up to make a huge difference. And standing up is no different. An estimated 50 calories are burned an hour just by standing… which can quickly add up depending on how long you choose to do so. A BBC post makes a compelling argument, stating, “If you stand for three hours a day for five days that’s around 750 calories burnt. Over the course of a year, it would add up to about 30,000 extra calories, or around 8 lb. of fat.” [2] Not too shabby! And not extreme in the slightest. What’s also great is that you can spread this throughout the day. Maybe stand for one hour in the morning, another hour in the early afternoon, and then one more in the evening. Three hours, 150 extra calories burned. Again, simple, and extremely easy to do.

Longevity

I alluded to the preventative effects of standing up versus sitting down, but what exactly does this mean? Well, for starters, it improves your internal health. Prolonged periods of sitting down (i.e., sedentary lifestyle) have been associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and, yes, death, so it comes to reason that activity combined with standing over sitting can help to prevent all of these outcomes. [3] Additionally, standing up can improve blood sugar, which in and of itself is a causal factor behind diabetes, insulin resistance, and hypoglycemia, as well as hormone imbalances. [4] [5] A 2014 study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that by standing up after lunch, participants were able to lower their blood sugar nearly 43% less compared to sedentary subjects. (It should be noted that these results were caused just by sitting up, and no extra activity from the workday.) [6] The cherry on top for standing for longevity comes from a 2012 BMJ study which estimates that just by cutting sitting time to three hours or a less per day, Americans can raise their life expectancy by up to two years. [7]

Productivity

Now, you might be thinking, “Well, standing is all fine and good, Zuzka, but I’ve got work to do.” Well, don’t discount standing up just yet. Believe it or not, by standing up instead of sitting at your desk, you can improve your work output. Check this out. An experimental study from 2014 found that groups that worked while standing up were able to collaborate markedly better than those sitting down. [8] They were able to develop creative ideas and problem solve more effectively, in addition to improving communication. The theory goes that by standing up, you’re moving up and down, therefore getting micro boosts of activity that keeps you alert and focused. I’ll also add that some of the top companies in the world including Google and Facebook provide standing desks for their employees knowing that it improves both their health and work performance. [9] So, if you’re looking to improve your productivity, then give standing a try!

Posture and Back Pain

The final benefit of standing up is a bit more physical. We all know that sitting for hours at a time without any breaks can do a number on our body. Our hips, lower back, and upper back and shoulders all take a hit, especially if our posture winds up slumping over. Luckily, the simple trick is to just take a break from sitting by standing. Now, because I know a lot of you love to refer to evidence, here’s some research for you to take a bite out of. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study in 2011 about sitting itself, and how you can reduce the risks that come to a sedentary lifestyle and workspace. According to the study, employees that used a sit-stand device were able to reduce pain in their upper backs and necks by up to 54%, while also improving their moods. Interestingly, when the sit-stand device was removed, all of these improvements went away in just two weeks. [10] If you thought this was a fluke study, think again. A different study from 2014 focusing on overweight office employees produced similar findings. [11] The subjects were instructed to stand up for a period of time every 30 minutes across the workday. By the end of the study, the subjects reported less fatigue and lower back discomfort, all the while maintaining their productivity.

Over to You

You can have too much of a good thing, even if it’s something as innocent as sitting down. While I am by no means saying we should never sit down, I do believe that with modern living comes modern consequences. I wrote about this serious problem back in 2014, so it still amazes me that it’s still being talked about. Luckily, there are ways to combat that: just get off your chair and stand. Standing desks are no longer weird, as more and more people are waking up to the reality of prolonged, excessive sitting. Even just taking a short standing break for a few minutes throughout the day can make a huge difference! But let me send this over to you. What have you to say about this problem, and how do you think we can combat it? Let’s get the discussion going down in the comments! Thanks for checking in on the blog, and stick around for the next topic!

Sources:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24532996
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22890825
[4] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypoglycemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373685
[5] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24297826
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22777603
[8] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1948550614538463
[9] https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodgerdeanduncan/2015/04/09/stand-up-it-improves-your-health-mood-energy-and-productivity/#4efd27085b60
[10] https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2012/11_0323.htm
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25168375