Sit Less, Stand More – The health benefits of electric sit/stand workstations

There is plenty of information outlining the risks of smoking or not wearing sunscreen. Recent international research has focused on sedentary behaviour and the risks of sitting or lying down for prolonged periods of time. In fact, studies warn that sedentary lifestyles are likely to cause as many deaths as smoking.

Sedentary behaviour: What’s the risk factor?
Let’s backtrack a little. What is sedentary behaviour and how could it be harmful? Well, ‘sedentary behaviour’ is classified as time spent sitting or lying down, not including sleeping. When you factor in work, TV time, the daily commute, and meals, it’s surprisingly easy to rack up 15 hours of sitting time each day. This may sound harmless, but emerging evidence links prolonged sitting with chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.

How much sitting is too much?
So if prolonged sitting can be bad for your health, how much is too much? While there are currently no guidelines from the Australian Department of Health as to safe levels of sitting, Safe Work Australia suggests that more than seven hours of overall sedentary behaviour per day is likely to be detrimental. They point out that prolonged sitting is associated with musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and poor mental health.

Take a stand and reap the health benefits
The good news is there are lots of things that can be done in the workplace alone to reduce total sitting time and improve overall health. For starters, the Heart Foundation recommends limiting sitting time and avoiding sitting for prolonged periods. One of the best ways to do this is by installing sit/stand desks: in a recent Heart Foundation study, this reduced sitting time by almost 20% during work hours.

While the research into sedentary behaviour is still emerging, the results are compelling. Sit less, stand more: it’s good for your health.

Sources: https://getaustraliastanding.org/top10risks
https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/faq-phy-act-sedb-guide#children
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/main/Active_living/Sit_less__move_more.jpg
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/main/Programs/nsw/HF-NSW_Stand@Work_CaseStudy.pdf
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sedentary
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-a-standing-desk#section6
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/main/Programs/nsw/Sit-Less_Posters-_Take_a_Stand.pdf https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/main/Programs/nsw/Sit-less_Posters-_Stand_Up_For_Your_Health.pdf

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