A lot of people have heard that “sitting is the new smoking”, since a lot of research (and headlines, like those in the Globe and Mail and CNN) shows that being sedentary increases risk of premature death more than even smoking. This applies even if you exercise. So a lot of people and companies have gone on to get standing desks. But is that a good idea? What are the pros and cons of standing desks?
That’s what we’ll discuss in this article. After all, just as with anything, there are benefits and drawbacks. And you need to know how to maximize the benefits, and minimize the drawbacks, to get the best possible utility out of anything.
Original source: here.
One thing that I won’t cover in this newsletter is whether it’s true that sitting is the new smoking. The short answer: it’s not. The longer answer: it gives me an idea for a future article 😉
The Benefits
Benefit #1: You Burn More Calories
Standing burns anywhere from 20-100% more calories compared to sitting (depending on which source you read). Generally speaking, you burn about 1 calorie per minute when sitting. So if you stand all day long, you burn about 1.2-2 calories per minute. Not a heck of a lot, but over an 8-hour work day, it adds up.
Plus, when it comes to weight loss, what you do outside of the gym matters a whole lot more than what you do inside it (it’s a different story for muscle building/toning/getting stronger though. With that, yeah, what you do in the gym matters a lot. I write about that in more detail here).
Benefit #2: Less Lower Back Pain
Assuming your standing desk is set up correctly from an ergonomic perspective, a lot of people find that their lower back hurts less when standing.
Benefit #3: More Energy
Certainly an unexpected benefit. After all, it takes more energy to stand than to sit. So if it takes more energy, shouldn’t you have less? Nope. As you know, there’s a rebound effect. The body is very adaptable, so if you spend a bit extra energy by standing, your body rebounds, and gives you more energy. You ever had a “lazy Sunday”, where you do nothing but watch TV or movies all day? Yet, despite that, you still feel tired at the end of the day. Weird, eh?
Now that we’re covered the “pros” of standing desks, let’s cover the “cons.” After all, this article is title “The pros and cons of standing desks.”
The Drawbacks
Drawback #1: Foot Pain
So your lower back no longer hurts. But your feet do. It’s the old principle of “if something hurts you, to get rid of that pain, make something else hurt more.”
After all, if you go from sitting 8 hours per day to standing 8 hours per day very suddenly, yeah, things start to change.
The theory goes “humans aren’t meant to be seated 10-16 hours per day.” That’s true. But we aren’t exactly meant to be standing that long, either. Ideally, we really need to intersperse periods of sitting with periods of standing.
Fortunately, the foot pain doesn’t last forever. Usually, it’s just 1-3 weeks before you adapt to it. And if you want to do things the smart way, don’t go from sitting for 8 hours to standing for 8 hours in 1 day. Do it gradually. Maybe do 30 minutes of standing and 7.5 hours of sitting on day 1. Then, 1 hour of standing, and 7 hours of sitting on day 3 or 4. Then 1.5 hours of standing, and 6.5 hours of sitting on days 5, 6 or 7, and so on.
Oh, and if you’re a woman who wears high heels all the time, standing for a long time will just destroy your feet, and possibly, your knees as well. To pull off standing for long period of time, you better be in very comfortable shoes, or barefoot. Speaking of being barefoot at work, Fitness Solutions Plus is introducing a new pedicure service.
Just kidding.
Drawback #2: Swollen Calves and Ankles
You know how your butt grows when you sit a lot? That’s because blood pools in one area. That area is your butt (and it doesn’t grow in the same way that J Lo’s butt grows). Well, if you switch from sitting to standing all day long, without moving, blood still pools in one area. But now, it’s the calves and ankles. And that can lead to varicose veins, too.
The simple solution to this, again is to not stand all day long. And it’s not to sit all day long, either. It’s to alternate. This way, you can have a big butt, and big calves.
Just kidding. Again.
Man, I’m on a roll today.
But really, the best posture isn’t one of constant sitting or constant standing. The best posture is the one that’s changing all the time.
Drawback #3: Decreased Concentration
For something that requires a lot of concentration, sitting is probably better than standing. If you’re doing something mindless, like just copying, or data entry, standing is fine. But if your job, or aspects of your job is very analytical, sitting may be preferred.
And there you have it – the pros and cons of standing desks. Hopefully this helps you make a decision on whether or not to use them, and if so, how.
