7 Surprising Facts About Standing Desks

#1  Standing Desks Have Been Around a Long Time

While you may have first heard of standing desks within the last decade or so, they have been around much, much longer.

While we don’t know exactly when the first standing desk was used, the history does go back to as early as the 1400s. 

Some people claim Leonardo Da Vinci used a standing desk to paint the Mona Lisa. While we cannot corroborate that fact, lots of famous people did use standing desks. 

Writers like Ernest Hemingway, Lewis Carrol, Philip Roth, and the philosopher Fredrich Neitzche all used standing desks while crafting their famous work.

Composers, politicians, and other famous figures to use standing desks include Oscar Hammerstein II and Winston Churchill.

Read More >> The History of Standing Desks

So the next time someone asks you why you are buying a standing desk as part of a fad, you can confidently tell them that it isn’t a fad because standing desks have been around for centuries helping workers stay healthy, productive, and happy. 

If you want to learn more about the intricate history of standing desks, check out this great informational video:

#2  Sitting is Very Bad for You

Sitting for long periods is terrible for your overall health.

Excessive sitting has been linked with health concerns like obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excessive fat, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

This can increase the risk of death from heart disease and even cancer. 

Sitting for more than 8 hours in a day without any physical activity increases the risk of dying as much as smoking or obesity.

Some studies even show that routine exercise does not make up for the unhealthy negative effects of prolonged sitting. However, other studies refute this and find that enough moderate intense physical activity (60 to 75 minutes a day) can combat the impact of sitting. 

While a standing desk is an easy and effective way to stop sitting so much, you can also try to stand while watching television, take walks regularly throughout the day, and alternate between a standing desk and traditional sitting.

You want to limit the amount of time sitting and even if you don’t have a standing desk, it may be worth it to create a DIY desk or improvise something to eliminate your sedentary lifestyle. 

#3  Standing Desks Can Relieve Pain

The human body is designed to stand and sitting can compress the natural curvature of the spine, put pressure on muscles, and constrict organs.

This can be bad for lots of reasons and cause pain. That may be why the most common complaint of office workers around the globe is lower back pain. 

Sitting in the right position with good posture can help some, but using a standing desk is likely to help significantly more.

One study shows that a standing desk may help to reduce back pain by 54%. That is a major change that highlights the critical battle between sitting and standing. 

Standing may also help you relieve pain caused by poor blood flow in the legs as well. However, we will admit that sometimes standing too much can also have a negative effect.

Read More >> Do Standing Desks Help Posture?

This is especially true if you have uncomfortable shoes or a standing desk that is the wrong height. 

You can also invest in a mat to stand with an activity that reduces pains associated with excessive standing, but you should still alternate between sitting and standing some throughout the day to get the best of both worlds. 

We also recommend easing standing into your routine gradually. That means that once you finally get your awesome standing desk not immediately go to standing 8 hours each day.

Let your body adjust by standing longer and longer, more and more, each day after switching. This will help your body accommodate the user so that you can get better health benefits more rapidly, without side effects. 

#4  Standing Desks May Help You Lose Weight

Let’s face it: sitting does not burn many calories. When you stand, your body uses more energy in your leg muscles, to support upright posture, and also encourages movement and shifting back and forth.

All of this can burn more calories. While the difference is not substantial, it adds up. 

An hour of standing burns 40 to 70 more calories than sitting, which may not seem enough if you are trying to lose weight quickly, but it certainly means something when you look at long-term calories.

At 50 calories more for an hour of standing each day, that adds up to 18,250 calories a year that you burned, and that is only one hour a day of standing versus sitting! 

Standing after eating will also help you lose weight.

How? Because it can boost your metabolism by increasing processing speed and digestion.

Read More >> How Many Calories Will You Burn on a Treadmill Desk Versus a Standing Desk?

So after your lunch break, try to avoid going straight to sitting. While it may be tempting to do so because that’s when you get the afternoon crash, the standing may help you stay productive and energetic while also helping you lose more weight. 

So if you aren’t getting everything you want out of a diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle changes, then adding a standing desk may support your weight loss goals for long-term changes, faster results, and a slimmer physique. 

#5  3 Hours Standing Daily is Equivalent to Running 10 Marathons

While this may certainly come as a surprise, standing for three hours is roughly equivalent to running 10 marathons.

According to one study, the health benefits for glucose levels, calorie usage, heart rate, and more for standing 3 hours a day year-round equaled similar benefits to running 10 marathons in the same period. 

While not everyone has the energy to run in a marathon, almost everybody can certainly get a standing desk to start standing more every day while working, watching tv, engaging in hobbies, or even socializing. 

Plus, when using a standing desk, you are getting those benefits without using your free time because you can work while standing.

That means you may not need to work out after getting off, so you can have more time to yourself. However, for better health experts of course recommend still getting enough exercise. 

#6  Standing Desks Are Great for Long-Term Health Benefits

First, standing can reduce the risk of cancer.

While it is by no means a cure-all, standing for just a few minutes a day can help reduce the risk of all types of cancer.

This is because sitting, especially prolonged and excessive sitting, correlates with the risk of cancer, according to studies. Inactivity and sedentary lifestyles can drastically increase the risk of certain cancers. 

Using a standing desk can also strengthen your heart and decrease your risk of death from heart disease.

It lowers triglyceride levels and evens out your cholesterol ratio. It may also be beneficial for blood flow and circulation, which may help your heart and make its job easier. Sitting also increases the risk of blood clots, which can be deadly. 

Read More >> Top 5 Best Wood Standing Desks (2022 Review)

Getting a standing desk may even help you stay healthy by boosting your immune system.

People who sit more are more likely to get sick. So if you want to stay healthy, increase your lifespan, and stop being so sick with low energy and infections, then standing is a great way to do so. 

We will admit that the people who are more likely to stand are probably more likely to be healthy in other areas of their life like diet and exercise, but for anybody, buying a standing desk is a good start toward better health. 

#7  Standing is Good for Productivity and Mood

Exercise can be great for your brain because it helps to create cells, encourage the production of essential neurotransmitters, and provides more blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to the brain system.

All of this means that you may be able to stand to increase creativity.

Using a standing desk may also help you stay more energetic and in a better mood, according to some studies.

This also helps you boost productivity when switching from traditional sitting desks to standing desks.

According to one recent study, 43% of people mentioned an increase in productivity after making the change. Other studies also show similar results for workers and their habits. 

Read More >> Do Standing Desks Increase Productivity?

Just standing more during the day may help you be happier, healthier, and more at ease. You may get a noticeable mood boost that can leave you feeling wonderful for the rest of the week.

If you don’t want to spend money on a standing desk, then you can make your own using a shelf, stack of books, or something else so that you can see if it is right for you before spending any money. 

Final Thoughts on Standing Desk Facts

These 7 surprising facts about standing desks should make you think twice about sitting for hours on end and show the astounding nature of standing desks, their history, and the health benefits they offer.

Here’s to better health and well-being!