Healthy Habits: 6 Benefits of Standing Up at Work

By now you’ve heard the news: sitting will kill you. They say it’s as threatening to the body as smoking, and even if you belong to the small group of us who work out every day, you aren’t redeemed. One study done in 2012 by Shelly K. McCrady and James A. Levine revealed sitting was more common during the workday than during leisurely time so for those of us who work 40 hours a week, it’s time to stand up.

 

While not every day is a Saturday and you might need to forego a leisurely walk in the park on your Tuesday, the simple act of standing more throughout your day will impact your life for years to come. And here are 6 reasons why.

 

1.    Awareness. If you are standing up, you automatically become more aware of your surroundings and the energy you’re using to remain on your feet. This same awareness translates to your work, helping you to stay present as the day goes on.

2.    Contractile Activity. Activities that prompt low-level muscle contractions, like doing the dishes or making dinner, can add up, burn calories and use muscle. Even insignificant activities like standing are important for good health. And the more you take part in these contractile activities, the greater impact they will have on your health.

3.    Fighting Obesity. When you sit for 40 to 50 hours a week, obesity becomes a concern because enzymes that break down lipids and triglycerides drop. In short, the more you sit, the more you slow your metabolism, which is counterintuitive to weight-loss and maintenance.

4.    No need for coffee. If you rely heavily on caffeine, standing can serve as a possible alternative. Staying active can prompt tiredness at the right time. Better sleep at night can put a stop to reoccurring slumps of fatigue in the workplace.

5.    Prevent a Heart Attack. According to the American Cancer Society, if you sit for most of the day you are 54% more likely to die of a heart attack. This could be a combination of other variables, including obesity brought on body’s inability to process lipids as you remain inactive.

6.    Burn calories. According to the experts, standing expends 10% more energy than sitting. This means that if the average person burns 80 calories an hour sitting, and stands for half of the day instead, nearly 50 extra calories are burnt, in addition to the wide range of other benefits that occur.

 

Standing up at work comes at a cost—but so does sitting for 50 hours a week. Standing desks are one solution to the growing problem, as they make it easy for employees to still get work done while standing up. Take a stand—pun intended—regarding your health.