Standing Desk vs Sitting: Which Desk Type Is Better? 

Living a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of health diseases. Today, many workers have traded their traditional desks for standing desks. It keeps them on their feet and increases their productivity in their office job. Plus, they can burn more calories standing up compared to sitting. In this standing desk vs sitting desk article, we will help you determine which is the best. 

Standing Desk vs Sitting: Overview and Comparison

Health Benefits of Standing Desks

Standing desks help you lose weight faster than sitting throughout the day. This reduces your risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease and obesity. 

Research suggests that you’ll least likely experience premature death, typically caused by heart attacks and other health implications. 

One of the main selling points why we prefer standing desks versus conventional desks is it keeps us awake all day. 

You can explore the benefits of standing desks once you have one for yourself!

Health Risks Associated With Prolonged Sitting

Many health issues arise from sitting all day. A study suggests that it’s dangerous to your health and puts you at greater risk of weight gain and poor posture. 

Just imagine sitting six hours straight without any activity! You’re at higher risk of suffering the following:

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Low back pain
• Poor blood circulation

Experts suggest incorporating more movement while sitting down. It requires more effort but can help burn any extra calories you want to lose. 

Caloric Expenditure During Standing vs Sitting

Prolonged standing burns more calories than sitting for prolonged periods. If you’re looking for an effective way to lose weight, investing in a good sit-stand desk is a good start. 

Nevertheless, you can also lose calories when with a traditional sitting desk. One way to do this is through the help of some sitting desk exercises. 

Posture and Ergonomics

Using a standing desk helps promote good posture. You become more conscious of your position, so you’ll be able to correct it. A good standing position looks something like this:

• Both feet are flat on the floor, with shoulder width apart
• Shoulders back and not hunched forward
• Ears and hips aligned with the shoulders
• The ball of your feet supports your weight 

However, keep in mind that too much standing isn’t good either. It can cause foot pain and fatigue. Most of your weight will be supported by your feet, so don’t forget to take a break. 

You can also improve your posture while using a sitting desk. One way to do this is with the help of ergonomic chairs, which can help correct your posture. It provides great back and neck support, thanks to its design. 

But regardless of the chair you use, be mindful of the proper sitting posture:

• Adjust your feet so they can stay flat on the floor
• Knees must always be a level lower than your knees
• The back must be fully supported by the backrest

Note that prolonged sitting can also cause lower back and neck pain. Also, staying in the same position after extended periods can cause discomfort. 

You can also consider doing seated exercises to get your blood pumping and add physical activity to your day. 

Using a Standing Desk vs Sitting: How to Find the Right Balance

Striking a balance between using a standing desk and sitting is important. It ensures you stay comfortable in the office for a long time. 

Expert Recommendations on Duration

Many experts recommend the optimal time for sitting and standing in the office. Sitting for two hours is equivalent to one hour of standing. 

For those just starting, you can start by standing for no more than 30 minutes. You can work standing during this duration up until you’re comfortable. In time, you can consider gradually increasing the duration until you’ve reached an hour. 

You can even spend several minutes walking around to squeeze in some muscle activity in your day. Be sure to observe expert recommendations on duration so you can stay comfortable during the day.

Alternating Positions Throughout the Day

Based on our experience, sitting and standing the entire day can feel uncomfortable. As much as we’d love to get used to standing, overdoing it isn’t a good idea. 

We highly recommend alternating between sitting and standing in the office. A great way to start this habit is by setting up reminders on your phone. Using a fitness tracker can also help keep you close to your goal. 

For every hour you’ve been sitting, you can adjust your sit-stand desk so you can be standing. That’s the beauty of these types of desks! You can easily alternate from two different positions with a button. 

Doing this helps promote blood circulation in your body and reduce any health problems. 

Adjusting Your Workspace for Optimum Ergonomics

A great way to start your journey of living a healthy lifestyle is to adjust your workspace. This includes investing in ergonomic office equipment, like your chair and table. 

You can even consider bringing simple exercise equipment like a stress ball and resistance bands. This helps you squeeze in some physical activity and reduce any health issues you may suffer. 

Start by getting a new standing desk if you don’t already have one. Make sure it provides a wide range of motion to raise and lower it according to your height. 

Unlike a regular desk, you’ll be confined to sitting all day. But if you can’t avoid this, switching to ergonomic chairs is a great idea. 

Ergonomics chairs are also all the rage these days because it’s comfortable to sit in. It relieves pressure and discomfort on your skeletal muscle, including your spine. This promotes proper posture while doing your desk job. 

It can even improve your blood circulation and prevent leg and hip swelling. You don’t have to worry about varicose veins, unlike when you stand for long periods. 

Real-life implementation of standing desks

There are a lot of health benefits to using a standing desk. It’s a great way to break the cycle of sitting in front of your desk for long periods. 

To help make this transition easy for you, we’ve listed some helpful rules you can follow for your standing desks. This should help you take advantage of the benefits of standing! 

Choosing the Right Standing Desk

There are different types of standing desks out there. Choosing the best standing desk can be tricky, especially if you’re looking to buy a standing desk as an investment. 

To help with your search, here’s what you need to look for in a standing desk.

• Depth – a greater depth lets you fit more things on your desk. 
• Ease of Use – raising and lowering your desk should be easy, especially if it uses a hand crank. 
• Height – find a standing desk that you can adjust to your height. Ensure it isn’t set up to be too high or too low. 
• Noise – make sure your standing desk doesn’t make too much noise, or you’ll disturb your workmates whenever you adjust your desk. 

Make sure to keep these factors in mind the next time you’re looking for a standing desk. 

Transitioning From Sitting to Standing Desks

Some people might struggle to transition from sitting desks to standing desks. Not only that, but sit-stand desks take some time to get used to. To help you ease into this transition, we’ve listed some helpful tips for you. 

• Start slow – a good starting point is by transitioning from sitting and standing every half hour. You can gradually increase the duration throughout the day. 
• Use a feet cushion – feet cushions are great for decreasing foot soreness or fatigue. You’ll be able to stand comfortably even after many hours. 
• Wear proper shoes – we highly recommend using shoes with good support. Staying standing will be more comfortable for you.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Work Environment

Our goal is to keep ourselves healthy. Regardless of where we are, we can squeeze in some activities to help us be healthy. 

A great way to start is always finding the right motivation for you. This helps you stay on track, like lowering your blood sugar and blood pressure. 

You can do regular exercise that doesn’t have to last for more than five minutes! There are many exercises you can do at your existing desk. But remember not too much energy expenditure, or you might be too tired to work. 

Finally, we want to ensure you develop healthy relationships with your workmates. Regardless of what changes you make to your work equipment and routine, make sure it doesn’t affect other people. 

Frequently Asked Questions

We often get a lot of questions about standing vs sitting desks. We’ll answer some of them here to help convince you to make the big switch. 

How Long Should I Stand at a Standing Desk?

Most experts recommend standing for at least an hour. The time is just right so that you won’t feel discomfort on your foot. You can stand longer if you find the motion comfortable. 

Just remember, listen to your body once it gets tired. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to sit down and rest. 

Are Standing Desks Really Better for My Health Than Sitting Desks?

Various research supports the idea that using a standing desk is better than a sitting desk. We discovered that many standing desk pros convinced us of the positive health effects of standing. 

Between a standing vs sitting desk, the latter could expose you to an increased risk for heart disease, obesity, etc. 

How Many Calories Do I Burn When Using a Standing Desk vs Sitting?

There are only a few differences between the calories burned from standing vs sitting. In general, standing burns 0.15 calories more than sitting down. Although the figures are low, they can still create a positive effect. 

Standing for long periods can help you burn more calories, especially if you incorporate some standing exercises throughout the day. 

What’s the Best Way to Transition From a Sitting Desk to a Standing Desk?

Of all the tips above, the best transition is always through a slow and gradual approach. Standing can also be uncomfortable, so be sure not to overdo it. 

Remember, there’s no rush to stay standing for a long time. We aim to get you comfortable with your sit-stand desk so you can reap its benefits sooner. 

Can I Still Have Poor Posture or Ergonomics at a Standing Desk?

Unfortunately, yes. This often happens to people who aren’t mindful of their posture throughout the day. To avoid bad posture, check back on the helpful tips we’ve listed above to help stand properly. 

Conclusion

Using a standing desk has many advantages for your health. You’re less likely to suffer from heart disease and have high blood pressure. 

This simple change can decrease our mortality rate and aid our weight loss. 

We can all take advantage of living a healthy life. Let’s make positive and simple solutions to improve our body and circulatory system! Standing is one of the ways to do it, and it’s free!