Standing desks have become popular as a way to fight the dangers of sitting too much, but new research shows standing all day isn’t necessarily healthier. A study (1) of over 83,000 people found that standing for long periods doesn’t lower heart disease or stroke risk and can even raise the chance of circulation issues like varicose veins.
So what does help?
Instead of just swapping sitting for standing, the real key is movement. Moving regularly — taking short walks, stretching, or doing light activity — helps break up long periods of sitting or standing. Movement has been shown it offers significant health benefits.
Healthy workday tips:
- Alternate sitting and standing
- Take short active breaks
- Stretch or do light activity every 30 minutes
- Walk to a colleague instead of emailing
Remember it’s not the type of desk one uses that improves one’s health. The real solution is to move more, sit less, and break up long periods of stillness. Small changes add up to big health benefits! Embracing a more active lifestyle, both in and out of the office, is likely to yield the greatest health benefits.
1. Ahmadi MN, Coenen P, Straker L, Stamatakis E. Device-measured stationary behaviour and cardiovascular and orthostatic circulatory disease incidence. Int J Epidemiol. 2024 Oct 13;53(6):dyae136. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyae136. PMID: 39412356; PMCID: PMC11481281.