A health report released by Statistics Canada showed that a considerable percentage of the Canadian adult population is at high risk for poor health outcomes. The report further revealed that around 82.5% of the population failed to meet the Physical Activity (PA) guidelines and that these people are sedentary for about 9.6 hours daily.
While this may sound like another usual health report, it’s not something one should brush aside. Mounting pieces of evidence claim that sedentary behaviour increases a person’s risk for chronic diseases and premature mortality.
If this alarms you, then there is a need for you to shape up. You must minimize your sedentary behaviour and get active.
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Standing Desks Could be the Answer
Unfortunately, staying active at work is not easy for most office workers. Indeed, how can you stay away from sedentary routines when you work behind a desk the whole day?
Thankfully, an L-shaped standing desk in Canada might be an innovative and healthy solution to this problem. Aside from encouraging you to stand up and move around, L-shaped standing desks also provide a highly versatile work area, offer more storage, and help you save on space. You can enjoy all these advantages and still keep yourself healthy.
If these reasons are not enough to persuade you, consider the following specific benefits before investing in an L-shaped standing desk:
Improves Blood Circulation
Sitting for long hours daily is linked to a lot of health problems. It can lead to heart disease, depression, dementia, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. But standing up also has its own set of issues—it can cause discomfort and pain in your feet and legs after a while.
Fortunately, an L-shaped standing desk can help you enjoy the benefits of sitting and standing without the drawbacks. Aside from helping with circulation, an L-shaped desk will give you more space for activities like writing or using your computer while standing up.
Aids in Achieving Good Posture
An L-shaped standing desk allows you to adjust the monitor and keyboard height to your eye level. This is crucial for maintaining a good posture, which benefits your health in many ways.
When people sit for long periods, there is increased pressure on the discs between the vertebrae, which can lead to chronic low-back pain. Standing desks don’t just alleviate this pressure. They also encourage workers to observe proper posture while typing or working at their desks because they see their reflections on the monitors overhead.
Improves Focus and Concentration
Staying focused for long periods is a struggle for many people. One way to help improve this is by using a standing desk. These allow you to move around more and change positions frequently, keeping your mind engaged.
There is evidence that some people can work better when standing instead of sitting. Studies also show that productivity increases when using a standing desk.
Limits Back Pain
While sitting at a traditional desk, most people get used to incorrect posture, which can lead to various health issues. This day in age, studies show that being able to stand while we work has great benefits. Even in a school setting, both teachers and students have become more conscious of their bodies and the need for standing desks for teachers and students for good health & fitness. By switching out your desk for an L-shaped standing desk, you can improve your posture and decrease the risk of developing back pain.
The correct way to stand is with your feet shoulder-width apart and hip-width apart. This helps keep the spine aligned and prevents slouching.
Burns More Calories
Standing while working can be uncomfortable, but you can increase weight loss by standing instead of sitting at work. Standing means increased energy expenditure and better metabolism.
A study shows that you burn around 88 calories per hour when you stand. Walking around even raises the burned calories to 210 per hour.
Reduces Disruptive Behaviour
Aside from health benefits, using standing desks also comes with cognitive benefits like improved concentration and reduced disruptive behaviour.
A study among high school students showed that standing desks made them more attentive than study participants sitting down. The ratio behind this result is that the former had a different way of completing the given on-task behaviours (like standing), breaking the monotony of seated tasks.
Experience These Benefits for Yourself
If you want to enjoy an L-shaped standing desk’s health and cognitive benefits, it’s time to invest in your own. Switching to standing desks from standard ones may mean additional costs for you or the business. However, when you think of what you and your employees can take away, you can say that the benefits outweigh the cost.