How often have you felt uncomfortable or cramped throughout your day as a high school student due to excessive sitting and a lack of movement? There may be a new solution to this problem that is taking offices and schools by storm: the standing desk.
That’s right; the standing desk is a popular and healthy way to get work done productively at school. The standing desk lets you stay physically active and stretch your muscles, benefiting your posture and overall health. Working at a standing desk can be helpful if you’ve been sitting for too long while working or feel quite stiff and want to move around. By standing tall with good posture, you engage your abdominal muscles naturally, which can align your spine.
Similar to posture, studies at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, reveal that having the correct posture puts less stress on bones and joints and can boost your mood and energy levels. On the other hand, research from the State of Victoria and the Department of Health in Australia shows that sitting down for a considerable amount of time can lead to chronic health issues such as heart disease and potential cancers. A big focus point for schools across the nation recently has been the mental health epidemic. Studies have shown sitting for long periods can generate anxiety and depression, mainly for students who are forced to be crammed into small school desks for most of their days. Although there are medical studies done on this phenomenon, research among teens who sit for long periods shows that the risk for anxiety and depression among these groups is much higher than others.
An important thing to remember when using a standing desk is that you’re maintaining a neutral posture. This means your shoulders and neck are relaxed, your back is straight, and you’re standing straight up. Something as little as a hunch in your position can lead to numerous issues in your back muscles. Studies from UCLA Health reveal that “sitting in a slouched position can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the spinal discs.” This is why it’s crucial to maintain the correct posture. By using standing desks more often, your body can sensibly feel the posture benefits when you stand up tall.
Kerry McNamara, a nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, spoke about her experiences using standing desks at work. “Standing desks help me stay more focused and definitely make it easier for me to oversee and monitor my patients,” she said. Additionally, SHS history teacher Andrew Roberts expressed his thoughts about the benefits of having standing desks in his classroom. He commented that students who use standing desks are “more attentive during class,” and as a result, they are more productive.
SHS sophomores Brennan Lazcano and Shane Norton use standing desks during school, and they both agreed that standing desks offer more space for them to move around. Like McNamara, they also agreed that standing desks help them stay more focused.