The Benefits of Standing and the Dangers of Sitting

They say sitting is the new smoking… I don’t know if I completely agree with that, but there are plenty of reasons to stand more.

Reasons standing is better than sitting

But, why is standing so much better for you? There are multiple reasons. 

1. Standing keeps blood from pooling

First, sitting motionlessly causes blood to pool in our legs, which can result in arterial dysfunction. 

When it comes to muscle, there’s the idea of use it or lose it. Research suggests the same goes with our arteries. Your body’s arterial function can diminish with disuse from long periods of sitting. 

Part of the reason for the impaired blood flow is because of the angle your knees are bent at when sitting. The ninety-degree angle can impair blood flow by as much as 40% from prolonged sitting. 

Your blood vessels are kinked just like a pinched garden hose. When that’s straightened out by standing, our arteries remain fully functional.

The reason is that special cells lining our arteries can detect the tugging force of the blood flowing past and send signals through the artery wall to maintain proper structure and function. But within three hours of sitting significant decrements in artery function can be detected. But three hours of standing, even while motionless, does not produce the same effect. 

2. Standing burns calories

Another reason to stand more is that you burn more calories from it. In fact, standing burns three times more calories per minute than sitting.

This is also called NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

NEAT includes the physical movement in our lives that isn't planned exercise or sports (or sleeping, breathing, and eating

Our bodies naturally burn around 130 calories per hour depending on your sex, age, height, and weight. But when you stand, you burn 200 calories or more per hour. 

5 ways to stand more

1. Get a standing desk

2. Set an alarm and take a standing break every 20 minutes

3. Go for a short walk throughout your day

4. Walk to fill your water 

5. Put things where you have to walk to get them