Replace your chair with a standing desk

By Patrick J. Skerrett

I used to sit down on the job. I don't mean I shirked my duties at Harvard Health Publications, but I did them with my derriere planted firmly in a chair. Over the years, I developed tricks to burn off excess energy and add activity bits throughout the day, like bouncing my right leg and printing to a printer far down the hallway.

ec1a9d6b-7567-4669-b17a-399d936d05a91620726696995

Seven years ago, I fired my chair and bought a stand-up desk. Now I am on my feet for most of the time I'm at work. I use my legs more and take several thousand extra steps each day. I feel more alert (especially during afternoons following nights when I didn't sleep well), it seems like I am getting more done each day, and my back isn't so achy.

Stand-up desks come in all shapes, sizes, and prices. You can build one from two sawhorses and a plank of wood, or plunk down several thousand dollars for a custom-made model. Being a frugal guy (and since my employer wasn't paying the tab), my first version was a regular desk I bought from Ikea and adapted. When I changed offices and it didn't fit, I bought an ready-made stand-up desk that fit on an existing desk. (Click here for a list of stand-up desk options.)

You can use a stand-up desk at home for reading the newspaper, paying bills, writing letters, or other formerly sit-down tasks. It isn't a magic bullet against heart disease, and it certainly isn't a substitute for exercise, but it's a decent heart-healthy habit.

If you choose to stand at work, you'll be in good company. Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson were said to have used stand-up desks. Other notable standers include Winston Churchill, Vladimir Nabokov, Ernest Hemingway, and Donald Rumsfeld.

Disclaimer:

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Free Healthbeat Signup

Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!

Sign Up
Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift.

The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health, plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise, pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss...from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

BONUS! Sign up now and
get a FREE copy of the
Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness.