Part of effective office space planning is not just knowing how to maximize the space you have at work but also knowing the right kind of office furniture to use in the workplace.
Now on our previous blog posts, we’ve talked a lot about office chairs so in this one, we’re going to give you information on something that’s not really discussed often-standing desks.
Standing desk is a type of desk created for writing, reading, or basically working either while standing up or sitting on a high chair. It very popular back in the 18th and 19th centuries, only used by the wealthy.
This type of office chair also has notable users which includes Leonardo da Vinci, Ernest Hemingway, and Benjamin Franklin, among others.
There have been a lot of studies about standing desks over the years mostly highlighting its rumored health benefits. With even more studies revealing the bad effects of sitting down all day, standing desks are making an amazing comeback yet again. But are they really beneficial for the health?
An article published by the Smithsonian answered just that by listing 4 benefits real scientists have gathered so far:

1. It reduces the risk of obesity.

This one can be explained in just a few words- it’s all about getting up and getting up more often. When you’re standing, you tend to move so you burn more calories.

2. It reduces the risk of diabetes and other metabolic-related problems.

A study released in 2008 has revealed that the body’s cells tend to became less responsive to insulin thus resulting in higher levels of fasting blood glucose. Again, just like item 1, it’s all about getting up and moving.

3. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular-related diseases.

There have been studies that go as far back as 1950’s that say how sitting too long can be bad for the cardiovascular system. This came from a research that compared rates of heart disease between London bus drivers whose job requires them to sit down most of the day against conductors who otherwise need to stand up.
We’re not saying you should stand all day but since we’re talking about effective office space planning, it would be great to have a sort of variety when it comes to office furniture. If you can’t stand the idea of standing desks, you could always go for adjustable desks. Or if you’re really unsure which type of desk would be best for your office, give us a call and our experts would be glad to help.