The human body is made to move. In reality, the body is designed to stand and walk long distances. Unfortunately, with our information-based society, we no longer use our bodies while working in agriculture or spending so much time outside exercising. These days, we spend much of our days sitting, whether we sit at our desks for 8 hours a day, or sit at home, watching TV, or just lounging.
A recent study found that, based on 100,000 men and women, the amount of time sitting per day had a great deal to do with how early someone would die. The longer a person sits, the more likely they are to die sooner. The most surprising part of this study was the fact that even those who had a generally active lifestyle were at risk. This means that if you plan on jogging in the morning and sitting the rest of the day, you are no better than those who don’t exercise at all.
This has a lot to do with blood flow and how our body and muscles are designed. In the sitting position, our blood flow is reduced to the lower part of our body. Also, our muscles can start to atrophy from sitting for long periods of time. Muscle tissue shrinks and we can no longer metabolize calories as we should.
Because most of us have jobs that require us to sit down, there is not much we can do to curb the urge to sit. There are a few options, like making sure we take breaks, and we can even go for a walk for lunch (or bring a co-worker for a friends hike).
One solution that is gaining popularity among many people (and businesses alike) is the standing desk. A standing desk will adjust from a sitting position to a standing position, allowing you to sit or stand throughout the day (depending on your energy level). With a standing desk, your body will get much-needed activity, while generally being more productive with better blood flow.
You don’t have to stand for long to get a great health benefit. Even if you stand for 1 to 2 hours (out of an 8-hour day), it will do a lot to greatly reduce the problems that sitting causes. One of the most popular standing desk companies is Anthro. Take a look at some of your desks and find out more about what you can do to prevent “sitting sickness.”