Benefits of a Standing Desk

Join the standing desk revolution with Up Desks

A Happier, Healthier Way to Work

The scientifically-proven cure for all our workday sitting problems.

No matter how much we focus on our health, the quintessential American work routine rarely allows us to harness the health benefits of movement. Between our morning and afternoon commutes, company meetings, desk work, and catching our favorite TV show on the couch, we spend most of our waking hours sitting down. What's a surefire antidote to all this workday sitting? Scientifically-proven, height-adjustable desks (also known as standing or sit/stand desks)! In comparison to a fixed standing desk, which can be just as bad for you as a traditional sitting desk, a height-adjustable desk cultivates the health benefits of movement by allowing users to freely switch from a sitting position to a standing position every hour or so. A growing body of research supports the benefits of standing desks and the myriad of ways they improve your life, from boosting productivity and preventing adverse health conditions caused by sedentary habits to increasing the probability of a pain-free workday by 80%.

Stand Up for Your Health

Check out the eight amazing health benefits you experience from using a height-adjustable desk.

1 Increase Your Energy: Using a standing desk helps create the movement you need to improve circulation and deliver oxygen to the brain, which will increase your energy and attentiveness.

2 Improve Your Mood: Those who sit for more than six hours per day show more signs of psychological distress than those who sit less. Standing at your desk has been shown to improve your mood and reduce depression, fatigue, and tension. 

3. Harness Joint & Muscle Movement: The musculoskeletal movement required to consistently transition from sitting to standing counteracts the health repercussions of a sedentary workday routine.

4. Boost Your Productivity: Standing at your desk has been shown to raise productivity by up to 45%.

5. Lose Weight: Lose almost six pounds a year by standing instead of sitting for six hours a day. Standing burns 12% more calories than sitting.

6. Improve Mental Focus: Moving enhances the creation of new brain cells, improving critical thinking and focus. 

7. Lower Your Risk of Disease: A sedentary, physically inactive lifestyle is the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide. Standing has been linked to lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes.

8. Reduce Caffeine Intake: Periodic standing sessions—rather than coffee or energy drinks—provide a more natural defense against those pesky afternoon crashes.

Our Bodies Were Built To Move

As a modern, information-based civilization, we've moved away from the industrial and agrarian societal work patterns adopted by the generations before us that required ample physical movement. Studies show a correlation between the lack of movement over several generations and the drastic increase in potentially damaging health issues. This proves one simple but important fact: our bodies were made to move.

The transition from sitting to standing through the use of a height-adjustable desk is a scientifically proven way to help you practice a healthier lifestyle and be more present throughout the day. By standing 15 minutes every hour, you'll start to feel the benefits of a sit-stand lifestyle without having to ramp up your exercise regimen or commit extra time to working out. If you really want to maximize your movement, using a desk bike for 30 minutes is a great option.

Millions of employees have already reaped the benefits standing desks can offer. A study completed at the NHS determined that these desks reduced the time employees spent sitting while increasing their overall productivity and positive company culture. Similarly, an Australian study found that activity-promoting desks can improve employees' ability to pay attention, accomplish tasks, and even manage stress. Employees at various other companies have seen the same results. Apple CEO Tim Cook has ensured that all 12,000 workers at his new headquarters were issued their very own standing desk, and the government of Denmark has mandated that all office workers have the option to adopt a sit-stand work style.

Standing burns around 50 calories an hour.

Standing for three hours a day for five days burns 750 calories.

If you burn 30,000 calories a year, it's the equivalent of running ten marathons!

Improve Your Ergonomics

The principle behind ergonomics is simple—fit the task to the person, don't make the person conform to a poorly-designed task. By limiting the amount of time you spend sitting, and by focusing on movement through alternating your postures with a standing desk, you can reduce pain and strain while increasing your comfort levels at work. Adjustability is essential in your desk, chair, monitor arm, and keyboard tray. Make sure everything meets the full ANSI/BIFMA requirements for adjustability (Up Desks standing desks and chairs do!), and then position them to fit your body.

Many certified professional ergonomists will tell you, "your next position is your best position." That's what this industry is all about: designing products and systems that encourage you to move and work comfortably/optimally.

Reduce Back Pain: Using a sit-stand workstation has been shown to significantly reduce lower back pain.

Decrease Neck Pain: The CDC found that standing an hour a day at work can reduce upper back and neck pain by more than half. 

Improve Your Posture: A standing desk allows you to improve your posture by training your back to stay straight with your shoulders pulled back.

Reduce Arm and Wrist Strain: A height-adjustable desk allows you to keep your arms at a 90-degree angle and your wrists level, reducing arm pain and putting less strain on your wrists.

Where We Fit In

The numerous health, productivity, and ergonomic benefits mentioned above are the reason the Up Desks - Standing Desk is at the heart of everything we do. It enables you to stand, sit, and move throughout the day, and when you do, your work surface will always be at the perfect height for the task at hand. Chosen as the "Best Standing Desk", our newest standing desk comes with increased stability, safety, and reliability. Our "one-touch" height adjustment allows you to transition between sitting and standing with a tap of a button, and our steel frames are built with contract-grade quality to ensure that the desk you invest in today will help you live better and healthier well into the future.