Now that we are all working from home during the COVID-19 global pandemic crisis, it is time to get off the couch and make our own work from home workspace. And your desk doesn’t have to be a normal one—consider using a stand-up desk as they offer plenty of benefits to your overall health. When it comes to your health, you can’t be too safe. Even if you don’t work at a traditionally high risk, if you incur an injury or a heat condition due to sitting too long at your desk, you should consider income protection insurance if your health prevents you from working.
We all know that sitting for too long can be detrimental to our bodies, and a standing desk can help to bring a little bit of health and wellness to our home office. Here’s how.
Reduce your back and shoulder pain.
Our backs and neck take a lot of wear and tear when we are hunched over a computer all day. Chances are, our laptops or desktop computers are not properly situated for ergonomic comfort, which is why you may feel sore, tight and in pain at the end of your long workday. Back pain is especially common across the United States, with over 80% of Americans suffering from back pain at some point in their life.
Luckily enough, back pain is easy to prevent with easy movements. Your spine should be constantly moving, whether it is through a stretch, a small flex, standing in the proper position or marching in place. A standing desk will allow you to get plenty done while keeping your spine moving in correct alignment. In fact, workers who have stood for just 56 minutes during their workday reported a 54% reduction in upper neck and back pain.
Lower your risk of heart disease.
Many studies have found that prolonged amounts of sitting down can greatly increase the risk of heart disease. Despite the fact that many of us spend most of our days sitting down, it’s actually quite a dangerous thing to do. Inactivity puts us at risk of cardiac failure and even blood clots. All of this sitting can be so detrimental that it has been proven that even an hour of intensely exercising at the end of the day will not make up for an entire day of sitting down. With this in mind, lower your risk of heart disease a little each day by getting a standing desk. Just by standing up you’ll be bettering your health.
Heart attacks can come out of nowhere, so it’s better to have income protection insurance and to look into any possible disability benefits ahead of time. You can’t know what future expenses might crop up if you suddenly have a cardiac event and need to be put on long-term disability. Make sure that you have disability insurance in place in addition to your medical insurance. That way you’ll know that you have income protection in addition to having your medical expenses covered. Financial security shouldn’t be taken for granted, so make sure that you’re well taken care of. And get that standing desk to stave off any problems with your ticker!
Improve your mood.
When you’re sitting down, your body is naturally relaxed, which can reduce blood flow to your limbs and your brain. This triggers your body to feel fatigued and stressed. Once stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol, which can decrease your mood and cause you to feel jumpy, anxious, and angry. You’ll see that getting up and increasing the blood flow to your body throughout the day will increase your energy and mood levels, which will lead to increased productivity and a better overall feeling. It’s a good idea to try standing up just to see how much better you feel at the end of the day.
Lose weight and burn calories.
Standing up automatically burns more calories as your muscles are more engaged. Plus, it is easier to add more movement to your workday when you are standing. You can march in place, do jumping jacks, torso twists, arm circles and even easy yoga stretches. While losing weight is not guaranteed with a standing desk, it has been proven to help burn an additional 750 calories per week. When added up, this would equate to losing about eight pounds of fat per year.
As one can see, a standing desk can bring a lot of positive benefits to any worker who is at a computer all day. So make the change now, and your body will thank you!