How Long Should You Stand at Your Standing Desk?

Despite feeling comfortable, sitting down for prolonged periods has been found to harm our general health and wellbeing. As a result of spending 8 – 9 hours per day on average sitting at a desk, office workers across the globe have been struggling with poor posture, which is why standing desk sales have increased dramatically over the years.

People often wonder how to use standing desk products correctly and how long they should spend standing as they work. The truth is that using a stand up desk isn’t always as simple as people realize, especially when there is so much confusion regarding how long we should spend standing up.

If you’re on the hunt for a quality standing desk but aren’t sure how long you should spend standing up at it, here’s a look at how to use standing desk products, along with the benefits and some other helpful info.

How long should you spend standing at a standing desk?

Standing desks are great for people with posture issues as they can provide heaps of benefits for those in pain and discomfort.

They are electronic desks which the user can control electronically and can adjust the height accordingly. The great thing about the desk is that the user can alternate between standing and sitting with the push of a button, as this will adjust the height of the desk.

One of the most common questions people ask about sit-stand desks is how long they should spend standing at them.

We’d have a definitive answer for this question in a perfect world, but as we don’t live in an ideal world, it’s not actually that black and white.

As a very general rule of thumb, experts recommend that you sit down for 40% of your working day and stand for 60% of your working day. So, for some elementary math, if you worked for 10 hours per day, 6 hours of your day should be spent standing, and 4 hours should be spent sitting.

Just to make matters a little more complicated, experts also advise that you switch between standing and sitting throughout the day. So, you may stand for 40 minutes and sit for 20 minutes just to ensure that you’re comfortable and get the benefits.

What are the benefits of using standing desks?

Speaking of the benefits of using electric standing desks, here’s a look at a few ways in which standing desks can be so valuable.

Reduced risk of weight gain

Sitting is known as the ‘new smoking,’ and while that may sound a little dramatic, there are some truthful undertones to this statement. One of the main contributions to weight gain is sitting, or rather, leading a sedentary lifestyle.

When you use a standing desk, standing up naturally burns more calories than sitting. Not only that but there are also exercises you can do when standing and working, as well as fitness accessories that you can purchase. You can buy specially designed treadmills that you slowly walk on when you work.

Studies have found that just one afternoon of standing, as opposed to sitting, can burn an impressive 170 calories. Over a working week, close to 1000 calories are burnt off, which is no small amount by any stretch.

Reduced back pain

One of the most common causes of back pain is sitting.

Sitting down for prolonged durations of time places a great deal of stress on your lower back and spine. Not only that, but many people find themselves leaning forwards and slouching, which can lead to neck and shoulder pain.

One of the benefits of using standing desks is the fact that help you to stand up straight so that your back is straight, your spine is aligned, and your shoulders and elbows are at the correct ergonomic height as you type.

Standing at a desk while working can considerably reduce back pain and discomfort.

Improved productivity

One of the lesser-known benefits of using stand up desks is that doing so will help improve your overall productivity levels.

Standing desks help to ease pain and discomfort associated with poor posture, so obviously, if you’re not in pain and are feeling good, you’ll get more work done, to begin with. On top of that, studies have found that employees who stand for at least 4 hours per day at work or longer, are less likely to make spelling and grammatical errors than those sitting.

Common standing desk mistakes to avoid

For those who are wondering how to use standing desk products properly, we’re now going to look at several common mistakes to avoid making.

Buying a cheap desk

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when using a standing desk is buying one that is super cheap.

Cheap standing desks are not designed to hold a lot of weight, they’re susceptible to damage, and they could potentially break at any time, which is the last thing you want.

Rather than buying a cheap and inferior desk, instead check out products from companies such as SOLOS, who offer a whole host of quality desks for affordable prices. For example, their Premium L-Shaped Standing Desk is top of the line, incredibly durable, and only costs $780.00.

Not using a standing mat

When you buy a standing desk, do yourself a favor and buy a standing mat at the same time.

Standing mats, also known as anti-fatigue mats, are designed to help support your feet when they become tired and painful. They help to displace the weight and offer comfort and support as you work while standing.

Standing still

If you want to know how to use standing desk products correctly, you need to know that standing still for the duration of your work period is a no-go.

Make sure to move your legs and move your body from time to time to help keep your muscles and joints loose and limber, and you’ll feel so much better than if you’d marked yourself perfectly still as you worked.