Besides poor health, sitting also causes cankles! When you sit, blood is unable to effectively pump from the legs back to the heart, creating high pressure in the veins in the lower legs and feet. This pressure may leak into tissues and cause inflammation. Extended sitting can cause the problem to escalate, with hardened skin, leg ulcers and brown stains on the lower extremities. What’s worse, the decreased circulation in the legs can raise the risk of blood clots.

Raised blood sugar is another negative health effects of sitting too long. Insulin resistance is a step before type 2 diabetes. Insulin helps regulate glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream, and the muscles in turn store the sugar. When the muscles aren’t moving, they become less skilful at absorbing glucose from the bloodstream and actually become insulin-resistant.

This resistance can happen after just one day of prolonged sitting, according to a study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. But making small, consistent movements like sitting and standing throughout the day can help lessen the risk.

You may not be aware, but immobility has the potential to cause constipation—yikes! As you sit, the body has fewer contractions that push along the contents of the gut, which causes the bowel to become dry. Low impact exercise is a sure cure for lowering this risk, like taking the stairs or walking around the block during lunch.

A sedentary lifestyle also causes heartburn. Not moving after lunch causes the stomach to empty slower and produce more acid to aid in digestion. The acidity leads to a burning sensation in your chest and mouth, so don’t forget to stand and move after a meal.

Migraines and decreased cognitive function are other negative effects of prolonged sitting. Hunching at your desk causes the neck to strain backwards as you stare at the computer screen. This in turn affects the nerves in the neck, which can result in a severe headache. Moving muscles encourage good blood flow throughout the body and to the brain. So if you’re moving regularly, you’re getting enough blood and oxygen to the brain, to boost overall brain function.

This last fact is surprising, but a sedentary lifestyle causes joint and muscle pain. Prolonged sitting leads to obesity and a large body mass creates pressure on the joints, and weak muscles from lack of use. Some studies claim that muscle weakness leads to osteoarthritis in the knees, since the knee wasn’t meant to be bent in a sitting angle all day.

See the full article, here.

The post The Daily Mail’s Negative Health Effects of Sitting appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

To re-inspire your drive to stand most of the day, here’s a list of the top 10 sitting and standing facts. After reading through these, you may find yourself adjusting your desk and standing more often.

1. One in three Americans is obese, and obese people sit more than 2.5 hours per day than thin people.

2. The bodies calorie burning ability drops to 1 per minute and electrical activity in the leg muscles shut off the moment you sit down.

3. Men and women who sit for more than 23 hours a week are 64% more likely to die from heart disease.

4. Thirty minutes to an hour of daily exercise is not enough to counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.

5. Good cholesterol drops by 20% after just two hours of sitting down.

6. A study published by the CDC found that sit to stand devices are an effective method to generate health benefits and combat the negative effects of sitting all day.

7. Standing the majority of the day has been said to increase concentration, focus and overall productivity at the office.

8. A study from the University of Chester found that standing during the week can be the equivalent to running 10 marathons a year.

9. Standing for most of the day has the potential to burn 30,000 more calories in a year. That’s about eight pounds of fat.

10. Regular, brisk walking can help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

The facts continue to go on from here, and we’re sure there will be more to come. So keep standing, moving and stretching throughout your workday to start experiencing better health that you deserve!

The post Top 10 Sitting and Standing Facts appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

The health study went on to reveal that even women who exercised regularly were at risk of early death if they spent most of the day sitting. More than 11 hours of daily sitting or sedentary time led to a 12 percent increase in premature mortality – this may seem like a small amount, but the sedentary group also experienced an increase of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and cancer by 13, 27 and 21 percent.

The nutritional scientist who led the health study reported that being physically fit and active every day was not enough to protect women from the negative health effects of sitting.

Sitting for a longer period of time made it harder for women to regain their physical strength. Women started to lose muscle mass at age 35, which led to an earlier onset of menopause. Daily exercise is ideal to keep the risk at bay, but more movement throughout a women’s day is key to maintaining health.

“In general, a use it or lose it philosophy applies,” the nutritional scientist said. “We have a lot of modern conveniences and technologies that, while making us more efficient, also lead to decreased activity and diminished ability to do things. Women need to find ways to remain active.”

Women with desk jobs aren’t getting the amount of movement they need to stay active during the day, but middle aged women and younger should start adopting changes to make a difference.

The scientist recommended getting up and moving around frequently at the office, and to take breaks between computer and reading time. She suggested retired women should find time to move around inside and outside the house.

“Some earlier studies found a more dramatic effect on mortality risk from [sitting] time, and others are similar to our findings,” she said. “Collectively, this adds to the growing body of research linking inactivity to poor health outcomes.”

Beyond linking sitting time with poor health, this is one of the largest and most ethnically diverse health studies of its type. The women ranged in ages of 50 to 79, and were observed for over 12 or more years.

See the full article from the Cornell Chronicle, HERE.

The post Health Study Links Sitting to Earlier Death in Women appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

A new study found that standing for just a few hours a day has amazing health benefits, and you’ll burn a ton of calories along the way.

Researchers at the University of Chester and the BBC took a group of 10 volunteers and asked them to stand at least three hours out of their day. The volunteers wore an accelerometer that measured their movements, heart rate monitors and glucose monitors.

The results were shocking at best (or maybe not that surprising if you already own an adjustable height desk or even a treadmill desk).

The volunteer’s had a much higher heart rate while they stood. It was about 10 beats per minute faster, so think about this in the long-term. That 10 beat increase adds up to 50 more calories burned per hour when compared to sitting. Throughout the entire year: about 30,000 more calories or eight pounds of fat.

The results also showed that the volunteers’ blood glucose levels normalized much quicker after eating than compared to days when they sat. High glucose means an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes, but standing for a few hours really does make a difference in lessening that risk.

According to Dr. Buckley from the study, “If you want to put [the results] into activity levels then that would be the equivalent of running about 10 marathons a year just by standing up three or four hours in your day at work.”

And there you have it: standing is good for your health, so much so that standing burns calories similar to running 10 marathons a year. Yes, we’ll emphasize that again – 10 marathons a year!

This isn’t the only study done to prove that standing benefits your health. In case you missed it, check out the study from ReadWrite, the technology blog. The participants reported increased concentration levels and better productivity at work. Standing desks really are the gifts that keep on giving!

And thanks to Lifehacker for sharing the great news!

What do you think about the results, does it make you want to stand more often during the day?

The post University of Chester Study: Standing Burns Serious Calories appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

Sitting is a luxury for workers, why give up the comfy leather chair or the ability to take a load off? Your legs would be less tired and your feet would thank you for it.

But! Before you join the cause and defiantly remain in your chair, let’s take a moment to dissect the author’s argument.

He realizes a stationary work day is unhealthy, and goes on to argue that the solution is not to sit less, but to work less. It would be a dream to have more vacation time and a longer lunch break.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the luxury of working fewer hours, but thankfully the adjustable standing desk provides you with an alternative: flexibility.

As we mentioned, the standing desk encourages the freedom of movement. Try yoga behind your standing desk to keep the blood flowing and take a break. And if you’re able, take a quick stroll around the office to talk to your coworkers instead of relentlessly sending emails.

And as always, if your legs are begging for relief, adjust your desk to a lower position and relax in a chair. But don’t completely give up remaining active!

In another valid point from the author, he mentions that it is still possible to be chained to a standing desk.

If you’re unable to get away from your workstation, the standing desk provides plenty of features to keep up productivity and make your work space more comfortable.

It may seem like a minor detail, but let’s not forget about the cable management option located in the back. Pesky cables only contribute to the stacks of paper and clutter on your desk, but thankfully this feature keeps at least one thing out of the way and organized.

Your NextSpace ergonomic keyboard can be adjusted to the perfect setting for you, or pushed underneath your adjustable height desk when not in use. And, the digital LED display remembers the perfect standing height for you—talk about ease and comfort during transition.

Beyond the author’s argument, we can’t emphasize enough the health advantages from standing! Yes, there are certain pitfalls like tired legs and feet, but the long-term advantages greatly outweigh the negatives.

The post The Backlash Against Standing Desks: Why Xdesk is Different appeared first on Xdesk Blog.