The psychological benefits of standing desks
Here’s a question: do you know how many hours you spend seated while at work?
While you may not be able to come up with a specific number, it should come as no surprise that the result can be in the thousands – and that’s just at work!
As we now know, this amount of inactivity can have serious consequences, both long-term and immediate. It’s no wonder that innovations such as standing desks are taking off in offices around the world.
However, it isn’t just the long-term physical benefits you need to think about – investing in an electric standing desk can also come with a host of positive psychological effects too.
For example, when you buy one of Ergomotion’s electric sit-stand desks, you might enjoy…
Benefit #1: standing desks increase energy and improve mood
Do you feel like sitting at your desk zaps your energy and leaves you feeling even more tired than you were when you got up in the morning?
We’ve all felt it at one stage or another.
The reason this happens is because your body is inactive for the most part – in some cases, your brain interprets this as a sign that it’s time for a nap, and orders the sleep centre of your brain to activate.
That’s why some days at the office can drain your energy and leave you feeling tired.
Not to mention, sitting for prolonged periods in a day can also decrease one’s mood!
The solution? Height-adjustable standing desks!
By allowing you to spend more time on your feet, your brain gets the signal that your body is active – therefore, the brain stays on alert, leaving you feeling more awake.
Not to mention, alternating between sitting and standing positions increases the release of hormones like serotonin.
This hormone in particular plays a crucial role in regulating your mood, and can alleviate feelings of irritation and anxiety throughout the day.
Benefit #2: standing desks help improve productivity and memory
In addition to mood and energy, electric sit-stand desks can also improve your memory and productivity levels.
Research shows that excessive long-term sedentary behaviour can make the medial temporal lobe (MTL) contract.
Essentially, the MTL is your brain’s memory storage bin. Naturally, your working memory (and by extension, work performance) will be affected when this section of your brain is impaired.
What’s more, according to some studies, this may also be linked to conditions such as cognitive decline and even dementia.
If you want to stay sharp well into your golden years, it’s imperative that you become more active now.
In addition to making time for the gym or for an evening jog, that means increasing the amount of physical activity at work.
With a standing desk, you can increase the amount of “incidental” exercise you receive in a day. This directly leads to improved productivity, and helps protect your memory.
In addition to making you a better worker, it also ensures that your brain continues to function properly for years to come!
Benefit #3: standing desks increase focus, engagement and alertness
We touched on how standing desks can boost your mood and energy in the office – what we didn’t get to mention was how this has the added benefit of improving your focus, alertness and engagement!
According to some, the reason for this is because the act of standing and maintaining one’s balance at a standing desk adds to your brain’s mental load.
This forces your brain to go on alert, which directly translates to increased focus and alertness.
Now, we know what you’re wondering, and the answer is no, this type of stress is not harmful.
The amount of extra pressure generated by standing is almost entirely subconscious – you won’t feel it all… but your brain will!
Using a standing desk can generate just enough stress to give your brain a boost, without negatively impacting your work performance.
Benefit #4: sit-stand desks make for better group work
We know what you’re thinking – how can a sit-stand desk improve group work?
Let us explain!
According to a 2014 study, standing desks may help improve creative and collaborative group work.
Two groups of students were assigned to write a recruitment video – one group was seated, while the other was not.
The result? While the output was similar, the decision-making and collaborative process couldn’t have been more important.
In particular, the standing group demonstrated:
- A freer flow of ideas
- Greater collaboration
- More open communication
- Reduced territoriality
The results speak for themselves: if your office sees employees working together and collaborating, standing desks are exactly what you need!
Call Ergomotion for the best standing desks in Australia!
As you can clearly see, standing desks don’t just come with physical benefits – they also offer plenty of psychological advantages too, all of which can help you and your team excel at whatever you do.
And Ergomotion’s mission is to make that possible!
Our team produce standing desks in Melbourne, which can be delivered to organisations all over Australia.
Stand up for your (psychological) health today – contact Ergomotion on (03) 9579 1454 or fill in this form and experience the physical and psychological benefits of using standing desks.
