What exactly does sitting do to your body? To start, it puts your body at rest and hence it reduces your overall physical activities. Simultaneously, it reduces the rate of metabolism that a healthy adult needs. A decrease in metabolism reduces the amount of calories that need to be burned. At rest, the body’s muscles do not require glucose in heavy percentages. This extra glucose starts to precipitate into the blood, increasing blood sugar levels. 

Standing for 6 hours a day can help you lose more than 20 pounds over 4 years!

Also, during physical exertion, our muscles need water. This demand of water is met partially from breaking down fats through fat synthesis. While sitting for prolonged periods, these muscles require less water, which tends to increase the fat level in your body causing obesity or overweight conditions. This could eventually lead to cardiovascular disorders and massive cardiac arrest. 

Standing puts your body in a state of partial activity since the body weight rests entirely on the limbs. This increases the rate of metabolism and simultaneously triggers the consumption of more energy when compared to sitting. It also increases the consumption of calories and water, which in turn reduces blood sugar and trans-fat deposits. In recent healthcare trends, standing for six hours a day can help you lose more than 20 pounds over four years!

Researchers at Mayo Clinic suggest that hours of continued sitting at desks while staring at computer screens can elevate the risks of obesity, cardiovascular disorders, and Type 2 diabetes. 

Ways to Develop a Habit of Standing to Improve Overall Health

Stand During your Morning Routine: Try to stand during your typical morning routine; including having breakfast, reading the daily newspaper, watching your morning show on television or drinking your coffee. 

Stand in Between Work: Take time out from work and stand for a few minutes every hour. Standing helps the blood flow more freely throughout your body and facilitates the supply of more oxygen to your brain. This helps you to think clearer and improves concentration. Standing desks are very popular with this healthcare trend. Even better, take a short walk whenever possible, which will help you burn up to 350 calories more per day.

Opt For a Standing Desk: The standing desk or the stand-up desk is a desk used primarily for the purpose of writing or reading while standing up or while seated on a high stool. By working at a standing desk for 3-4 hours a day, your heart beats 10 more times per minute.  Increased heart rate boosts energy and alertness, decreasing your fatigue and increasing productivity due to the increase in concentration.

You can have a healthier life, including finding a healthier weight, by incorporating this one trick into your daily routine- replacing 6 hours of sitting with standing, or even better, start building a habit of walking or running everyday. By getting up everyday and getting active, you will see a multitude of improvements to your health.

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