5 Proven Health Benefits of Standing

Updated on January 13, 2025

1. Reduce Back Pain

Sitting for long periods of time tightens your muscles and can hurt your lower back, especially if you have bad posture. Standing desks seem to help ease back pain, but doctors don’t know how much time you need to stand to get this benefit.

Back pain is something that 80% of adults will experience over their lifetimes, and one of the greatest complaints of office workers who are seated all day. A study in 2011 found that participants who spent an average of 66 minutes of their work day standing experienced a 54% reduction in upper back and neck pain. Imagine what standing could do for you!

2. Burn more calories

A 2013 study showed that using a standing desk caused the heart to beat an average of ten beats faster per minute than when sitting. This equates to an additional fifty calories an hour burnt. A 2012 study comparing young adults using sitting and standing desks found that standing desk users burned 20.4 additional calories per hour. Given an average of three hours of standing per day, five days per week, this would equate to burning an extra 306 to 750 calories per week.

3. Boosts Brain Power

Standing stimulates circulation, which sends more oxygen and nutrients to your brain. Sitting, on the other hand, inhibits circulation and starts negatively impacting your blood flow in as few as 10 minutes. The physical movement also encourages neurogenesis (the creation of new brain cells), specifically in the regions of the brain associated with critical thinking.

4. Improves Focus

While 10 minutes of sitting can negatively impact your circulation, 10 minutes of standing is all it takes to increase focus. 71% of employees who reduced their sitting time by just one hour a day reported improved mental focus throughout the day. When you’re more focused, you’re able to work more efficiently and get more done.

5. More productive

In a study of call center employees, those with standing desks were 45% more productive on a daily basis than employees who sat during their shift.