Choosing your Standing Desk 101

 By now you have probably discovered some of the amazing benefits of making the switch to a standing desk, ranging from reduced back pain to improved cardiovascular health. But when the time comes to finally get a standing desk, it’s easy to get confused, and maybe even intimidated. Fear not! We’re here to simplify the process and help you choose the right standing desk. 

The first thing to consider is whether you’re looking for a full standing desk or a desk converter. A full standing desk will allow for the most efficient use of your workspace and offer the highest level of customization. Desktop converters (also known as a sit-stand workstation), meanwhile, are designed to sit on top of your existing desk and serve as a rising extension. These can be a considerable option if you’re on a budget and want to keep your existing desk. If your budget permits, we always recommend our customers go with a full standing desk for its functionality and ergonomics.  

Choosing a Full Standing Desk:

When selecting a standing desk, consider these factors: type, size, finish and features. 

TYPE

Standing desks break up into variety of types based on the rising mechanism, such as electric, pneumatic and manual-crank. 

●  Electric desks the most popular and the one we recommend most. It allows for easy one-click height adjustment as well as memory presets. These do require to be plugged into a power outlet, so if that is not an option, pneumatic and manual crank desks are your next choice. 

●  Pneumatic desks  use a counterbalance mechanism that is operated by releasing a lever that easily moves the desk up or down. 

●  Manual crank desks, as the name implies, require manual cranking of the knob. These are your most budget friendly option. 

SIZE

Size matters! Be sure to measure your working area (width and depth) before making a purchase. Typically, desktops range from four to six feet in width (48”, 60” and 72”) and two to three feet in depth (24”, 30” and 36”). Some brands also offer L-shaped or corner desks as well as sit-stand  conference tables. These can be a great way to make use of that corner office space and have more productive meetings. 

FINISH

Desktop and base colors/finishes are totally up to personal preference. These vary depending on the brand, but generally include several solid colors as well as wood veneer options. Materials used usually influence the price of the desk - so, choose whichever fits your budget here. 

FEATURES

Some standing desks come with additional features such as keyboard trays, cable management, power strips and more. Wire and power management systems are useful because they allow cables to be neatly tucked away. Some brands offer USB and network connection docks to easily allow connecting computers and various peripheral devices. Again, see what options fit your budget and needs. 

Lastly, we highly recommend personalizing your desk with a set of quality monitor arms to allow for full ergonomics and flexibility. Humanscale makes some of our favorite monitor arms. 

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Why stand ?

 

Did you know that an average person spends almost 80% of their day in a sedentary state? Let’s look at a typical day of an office worker. They wake up, brush their teeth and get ready for work. They get in their car and head over to the office where they sit for most of the day, followed by — once again, driving home in the sitting position. Once at home, they sit down to eat dinner and relax on the couch to catch up on their favorite Netflix series. Afterwards, they go back to sleep and the vicious circle repeats. Even if they manage to get a workout in somewhere in between, a large majority of their day is, inevitably —  spent sitting down.

So, what’s the issue with all of this? Well, in recent years more and more scientific data suggests that, in the long term, sitting could cause serious detrimental impact to one’s health and well being. In fact, as Dr. Levine referred to it in one of his studies (1), “Sitting is the new smoking”. Just by taking a high level glance at the medical research data, it becomes apparent that those two smoking and sitting share a lot in common when it comes to increasing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

What is behind these adverse effects? As we explore further, the root cause points to the sedentary lifestyle. What can we do to counter them? The quick answer —  become more active. Anything we can do to add more activity to our lives will tip the scales in our favor. This is where the standing desk comes in. A standing desk allows your body to stay more active throughout the day while staying energized and more productive.  Over time, this small change can amount to a plethora of health benefits including weight loss, lower blood sugar, lowered risk of heart disease, reduced back pain, improved mood and finally — extended lifespan.

A recent study (2) has been conducted in the University of Chester where 10 office workers were asked to stand for a minimum of three hours each day for one week. They were asked to wear an accelerometer to record their physical activity, a heart rate monitor and glucose monitors to keep track of their blood sugar levels. The researchers found the results to be quite staggering. They noticed that following a meal, the blood glucose levels have normalized much faster during the periods when the participants were standing. Another interesting discovery has been made when comparing heart rates. While standing, the participants’ heart rate was on average 10 beats per minute higher, which translates to about 50 calories per hour. Over a year span, that would add up to about 30,000 calories and over 8 lbs of fat. "If you want to put that into activity levels," says Dr Buckley, "then that would be the equivalent of running about 10 marathons a year. Just by standing up three or four hours in your day at work."

Standing can help control your blood sugar

A similar study (3) has confirmed that standing for 3 hours after lunch reduced the blood sugar spike by 43% compared to sitting for the same amount of time. Optimal insulin sensitivity is important for body composition goals as well as for reducing the risk of developing serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. Prolonged sitting has also been linked to a reduction in the activity of the lipase enzyme which is responsible for breaking down blood fats to be used as fuel for muscle. This in turn leads to raised levels of triglycerides and fats in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease.

In the 1950s, researchers examined bus drivers who typically sit at work and bus conductors who are usually standing up. The study concluded with quite alarming results, which showed the bus conductors were on average half as likely to develop heart disease in comparison to their coworkers at the wheel.

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How To Get a Free Standing Desk At Your Workplace

So, you read all of the benefits of a standing desk and are ready to jump in to the future of work space today. The only thing that is standing in your way is convincing your boss to make the switch. Ergo Desk is here to help you do that.

The easiest way is to simply talk to your boss and explain the benefits of working at a standing desk. You could list all of the life changing reasons, for example: less obesity risk, reduced cancer risk, longer life and better posture! But let’s be real, as much as you think your boss cares about your health, he is still running a business and that remains his number one priority. So how do you convince your boss a standing desk is good for business? Well you should let him know these facts:

Increased Productivity: A study by Texas A&M Health Science Center found that call center employees performed over 46% better than their sitting desk colleagues over a 6-month period.

Increased Energy and Focus: Study by Take a Stand Project discovered that over 70% of employees over a 6 week period felt more energized and focused with a standing desk.

Cost savings: World Economic Forum and Boston Consulting conducted a joint study  that found each employee saved over 700$ per year with the use of the standing desk, due to increased productivity and healthcare costs.

Increased creativity: study linked to increased creativity in employees during the work day. No wonder companies like Google, Facebook, AOL and MyErgoDesk are all using standing desks!

If you believe these reasons are not enough to convince your boss and you truly would like to seal the deal on a standing  then do it with a Doctor’s note! With the long-term health benefits of a standing desk, you do not need to have any type of chronic pain for your doctor to write you a quick note. 

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