Standing Tall: Experience the Benefits of Standing More and Sitting Less

Research suggests that adults spend 8 hours per day being sedentary, or sitting. This is sometimes unavoidable for those of us that have desk jobs or spend a lot of time driving. Constant sitting negatively affects brain health and memory over time. Prolonged daily sitting time is adversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and type 2 diabetes incidences. The incidence of cancer and mortality due to excessive sitting time has also recently been established [1].

Here’s the good news: standing for just minutes a day can help us live longer! A study published online on January 14, 2019, in the American Journal of Epidemiology involved nearly 8,000 American adults, ages 45 and older. Each wore physical activity monitors, and the investigators then tracked deaths among the participants since 2017.

The results: People who replaced just 30 minutes of sitting per day with low-intensity physical activity lowered their risk of early death by 17 percent, according to the study. More intense exercise reaped even bigger rewards, the researchers said. For example, swapping a half-hour per day of sitting for moderate-tovigorous exercise cut the risk of early death by 35 percent.

And even just a minute or two of added physical activity was beneficial, the findings showed. “Physical activity of any intensity provides health benefits,” said the lead researcher.

Standing also burns more calories per minute than sitting. At the end of the day that can equal hundreds of extra calories burned just by standing up for tasks that you would typically remain seated for, like talking on the phone. In addition to burning more calories, standing activates muscles that strengthen your core and improve posture. Muscle activation is part of the process that lowers blood sugar levels (and type 2 diabetes risk) when standing vs. sitting.

Here are some action steps that you can take to increase your amount of standing time and decrease your amount of sitting time each day:

1 Set an hourly timer to stand for a few minutes. Use a fitness tracker such as a Fitbit, Oura Ring, or Apple Watch. Research from the Apple Heart and Movement Study shows that a single Apple Watch Stand notification increases the probability of standing up by almost 50%.

2 Invest in a stand-up desk, or a much less expensive option of an elevated computer stand that sits on top of a normal desk. If you really want to commit, you can invest in a treadmill desk!

3 Start with very short standing intervals of only a few minutes per hour. Do this for a week and then increase by a minute or two the following week. A slower progression will be less stressful on your body and result in lasting changes that are more achievable over time. You will begin feeling stronger and more able to stand for longer periods as the months go on. Rushing the process could result in injury.

4 Remember to use caution when standing for long periods of time. This can have negative effects on the lower back, knees, etc. Use your instincts and physical cues for when to take breaks from standing. Pacing or walking may be more comfortable than just standing still.

Start today by looking for opportunities to stand instead of sitting. Sharing this information with loved ones and colleagues will help them understand the importance of incorporating more standing in daily activities that usually involve sitting. This will help create a new normal where standing is accepted as commonplace, and health comes FIRST.

1 Biswas A, Oh PI, Faulkner GE, Bajaj RR, Silver MA, Mitchell MS, et al. Sedentary time and its association with risk for disease incidence, mortality, and hospitalization in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(2):123–32.

Jody Trierweiler, CNC is a certified nutritional coach and consultant. She is the Health and Fitness Expert for WDIV Local 4 Detroit tv show “Live In The D”, teaches fitness classes, and is a corporate presenter. Learn more at jodysfitlife.com or find her on social media @jodysfitlife.

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