Regulated desks: how many benefits do they really have?

Desks with regulated height have become quite popular in recent years, both in office buildings as well as amongst those working from home. We put more thought into our health and wellbeing which directly affects our effectiveness at work – that's why we seek not only comfortable, but also ergonomic solutions in the workspace. Is a standing desk truly helpful in the pursuit of a healthier life- (and work) -style?

Sedentary lifestyle and its consequences

Sitting for an extended period of time is sometimes likened to chain smoking – they both, to the same extent, contribute to developing many ailments and diseases. Some of the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and a lack of physical activity are back pain or musculoskeletal disorders, but also illnesses like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular issues, varicose veins, and even some types of cancers.

Read more about the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle and learn how to minimize them here.

Unfortunately, working from home promotes the development of such unhealthy habits: when you don’t need to leave the house and your desk is a mere few feet away from the sofa, you might stop moving altogether. A ‘sit-stand’ desk with a height regulation system can be a godsend – but only under certain conditions.

How long can you stand at a desk?

Before you can fully reap the benefits of a regulated desk, you need to know how to properly use it. Don’t radically change your lifestyle from sitting to standing. Longterm standing, similarly to sitting, can have some adverse effects on your health; it can cause spine issues, varicose veins, muscle atrophy, tendinosis, and leg swelling. Moreover, prolonged standing may decrease your productivity and creativity levels, slow down your reaction time, and weaken cognitive function.

The compromise here is to regularly change our position at the desk throughout the day. Start with small adjustment, for example, 2 hours of sitting followed by 30 minutes of standing. You can then begin to slowly increase your standing time – the optimal practice is to switch positions every hour.

Read more about ergonomics in remote work in a blog post we wrote with a physiotherapist.

Think of all the fun things you can do with an adjustable desk: you can do some simple exercises or dance while reading emails or doing research (tried it and it can be done!). The purpose of a standing desk is not to eliminate sitting altogether – the aim is to make you regularly move your body. This solution, besides the many health benefits, helps you take care of your wellbeing; reduce stress, increase concentration, and be more productive. And that is worth the hassle.

How to choose an adjustable desk?

You could always start with browsing through our Oakywood offer 😊. Apart from the high-quality materials, sophisticated design, and precise construction, we offer the chance to customize the products’ measurements according to your own needs and expectations. Our 3D configurator lets you pick the materials, colors, edges, and tabletop dimensions. You can also add a set of casters fit with safety breaks to move your desk safely and with ease.

Additionally, when choosing an adjustable desk, take note of the following features:

• The height range,
• Weight capacity,
• Raising and lowering speed,
• Engine volume,
• Saving settings,
• Type of engine,
• Collision avoidance system (Oakywood’s desks are fitted with a gyroscope, allowing them to detect obstacles while raising and lowering the tabletop – in such case the desk will automatically stop).

Properly fitted and skillfully used adjustable desk is not a cure-all for all issues related to remote work but it is, without a doubt, a great solution to elevate your health and your work.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582919/
https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2021/aug/are-standing-desks-really-worth-it/