Last updated: March 25th, 2025
Finding your neck, back and shoulders aching after just an hour or two sitting in your office chair? We’ve all been there – hunched over a computer and working hard when that little niggle in your neck starts, then reaches your shoulders before creeping down your back.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you’ve probably wondered about the benefits of standing desks and whether it’s a good option for you (hint: it probably is!).
Numerous studies have found that the best standing desks can:
- Improve work productivity and alertness.
- Reduce mental fatigue.
- Stimulate the thought process.
In this article, I’ll reveal the top 11 benefits of standing desks to help you decide whether you’d like to invest in one, or not.
(Related: UpDown KLIK Standing Desk: Best Standing Desk In Australia?)
1. Standing Desks Help Promote Neurogenesis.
Neurowhat? The creation of new brain cells – that’s what! And standing helps you promote it.
Standing desks increase blood circulation, and this increase in blood flow helps circulate oxygen to the brain, facilitating better cognitive function and working memory.
This increased neural activity:
- Creates information highways that help you take in more information, and retain it.
- Improves how you conceptualise problems, develop solutions and stick to your plan to achieve them.
I’m not saying that a stand-up desk will make you smarter (if only), but the research indicates that they enhance your ability to think and focus on tasks.
(Related: The Pros And Cons Of Standing At Work).
2. Standing Desks Improve Your Memory.
Speaking of your brain, the more you sit, the quicker you effectively kill it.
According to this study, the thickness of your temporal lobe – responsible for spatial cognition and episodic memories – is directly linked to how often you sit or stand.
In fact, the researchers found that simply limiting how much you sit for prolonged periods may be even more important than increasing your physical activity, in terms of brain health.
Fun Fact.
The study found those adults who stood more often for extended periods throughout the day had thicker and more intact temporal lobes.
3. Stand-Up Desks Make You More Productive.
Standing while working can make you more productive, because you’re naturally more dynamic when upright.
It’s easier to keep your blood pumping, your attention honed, and your attitude positive — as well as move around and collaborate with colleagues.
One six-month study of call centre employees found those using a desk capable of being adjusted to standing height were around 45% more productive on a daily basis (compared to a seated control group).
These productivity gains grew more pronounced the longer employees had access to standing desks.
(Related: Omnidesk Standing Desk Review: Best In Class?)
4. Sit-Stand Desks Can Alleviate Back Pain.
If you have general back issues or back pain, a standing desk can help reduce discomfort in your back by improving your posture and taking pressure off your neck and lower back that can be experienced in the seated position.
However, standing puts pressure on your muscles and joints, which can be tiring and even harmful if you stand for too long or with poor posture.
If you’re using a stand-up desk to help with back discomfort, you’ll need to learn how to stand with proper posture:
- Straight back.
- Head up.
- Shoulders relaxed.
- Tummy in.
- Evenly balanced weight on feet.
- Knees straight.
- Expert Tip.
If you experience lower back pain, consider investing in an ergonomic office chair designed for people with bad backs.
5. Standing Reduces Stress.
Standing helps reduce stress, for a few reasons.
- Firstly, you’re less likely to be stiff and sore, reducing physical stressors that can exacerbate emotional problems.
- Plus, you’ll feel more vigorous and effective in your work, making it easier to handle issues and remain resilient
A 2011 study where office workers were given a sit-stand desk over seven weeks found a dramatic improvement in mood — 62% of participants felt happier, and 33% felt less stressed.
The very mild stress put on the brain by standing improves our ability to cope with certain tasks and reduces our overall stress. Less stress at work improves focus and overall productivity.
6. Standing Counteracts A Sedentary Lifestyle.
Plenty of evidence suggests that a prolonged sitting can cause a range of health issues, including:
- Obesity.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Cardiovascular disease.
- Swollen ankles.
- Heart disease.
- High cholesterol.
- Lung, uterine and colon cancers.
- Heart attacks.
- Poor circulation.
As they say, sitting is the new smoking!
By using a stand-up desk, you are effectively helping counteract all of these health issues caused by too much sitting down.
When you are physically active – including standing – your overall energy levels and endurance improve, and you also improve bone strength.
(Related: How To Clean Your Office Desk Well).
7. Sit-Stand Desks Improve Your Energy Levels Outside Work.
Standing may be a lot less active than the fitness goals you aspire to reach.
Yet, a consultant with the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health, Dr Mike Loosemore, posits that using the small muscles in your legs and body to stand for three hours a day, five days a week, would be the equivalent of running ten marathons a year!
Important!
Improving your activity levels at work with a stand-up desk can bleed into your personal life — and how motivated you are to go for a walk in the morning or do an afternoon yoga session.
After all, one of the strongest determinants of whether you’ll choose to be active is whether you’re in the habit of being active.
That’s also supported by research into occupational health at work that found people who sit for longer at work are also more likely to be sedentary outside of work.
8. Standing Improves Creative Problem-Solving.
Shifting your perspective is a powerful way to break through barriers or overcome problems with a task at work.
Sitting all day contributes to a kind of plodding, monotonous mindset that isn’t always conducive to creative insight.
Whereas, being positioned to quickly physically step away from your desk—and let your unconscious mind process a problem—is ideal.
9. Standing Helps Burn More Calories (But Mildly).
Our bodies go to sleep when they’ve been inactive for too long. Your metabolism slows down, as does your calorie-burning capabilities, which puts you at risk for health issues like obesity.
If you don’t exercise regularly or have a generally sedentary lifestyle, sitting every day of your working life can compound the effects of inactivity on the body.
Standing can help counteract that by helping speed up your metabolism.
When sitting, the study subjects burned 80 calories an hour. When standing, the number of calories burned was slightly higher at 88 calories an hour.
Walking, meanwhile, burned 210 calories an hour.
Important!
A stand-up desk will help you burn an extra 8 calories an hour, which isn’t much—but adds up over time, considering many of us will spend up to one-third of our lives at work.
10. Standing Desks Improve Your Energy Levels.
Want the energy boost of a cup of coffee minus the inevitable crash? An adjustable standing desk might be the answer.
- A whopping 87% of participants from the Take A Stand study said they had more energy when they used their standing desks at work.
- Meanwhile, an Australian study called Thinking on Your Feet found participants had more energy when standing rather than sitting.
The study found that workers who upped their standing by up to 60 to 90 minutes each day were more active and energised than workers who used traditional desks.
11. Standing Desks Make You A Better Collaborator.
Email and online collaboration platforms have their place.
But in-person negotiation and cooperation on certain tasks can be critical for achieving quality outcomes quickly if you’re working alongside others in an office environment.
Research published in the March 2022 issue of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, reveals that overuse of text-based communication for complex tasks can cause the recipient of the communication to lose interest and perform worse.
- Sitting too long contributes to a stagnant, cloistered attitude and work culture.
- Standing often encourages you to be more sociable and proactive.
With a stand-up desk, you may feel more prepared to overcome awkwardness to stop by a colleague’s desk to hash out a difficult issue, rather than waste time on a convoluted email.
The Ugly Truth About Standing Desks.
While there are many benefits to standing desks, investing in a standing desk isn’t the be-all and end-all solution to making you healthier and more productive at work.
Standing desks aren’t intended to substitute sitting for standing completely, but rather as a way to get you moving – which is the end goal – you want to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
Standing on your feet all day isn’t much better for your health than sitting all day, as it adds extra stress and strain on your legs and feet.
(Related: Ultimate Home Home Office Setup Guide).
Frequently Asked Questions About Sit-Stand Desks.
I’ve been inundated with questions since I started researching the health benefits of standing desks. Here are the 3 most commonly asked questions and my answers.
1. How does a standing desk work?
Standing desks are desks that are taller than standard desks, allowing you to be in a standing position while working on a computer or laptop.
Most standing desks are adjustable (if you find one that isn’t – it’s not worth the money), so you can find the perfect height for you while standing, and then lower it to the ideal height while sitting.
2. What are the disadvantages of a sit-stand desk?
As with sitting, standing for too long can cause a range of issues, including leg and foot pain from too much pressure on your knees, hips and feet.
You can also experience leg swelling, muscle fatigue and lower back pain.
3. How long should you stand at a standing desk?
Many ergonomic experts suggest standing for 5-15 minutes every 60 minutes when using a standing desk, but this research isn’t definitive.
A study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine recommends overall, you should move, stand and take a break from sitting for at least 2 hours in total out of an 8-hour workday.
Final Words About Standing Desk Benefits.
With plenty of evidence unquestionably stacked against sitting, a standing desk is a relatively inexpensive piece of office furniture that can increase your job satisfaction, reduce the chances of weight gain by reducing the amount of time you spend sitting.
And while it won’t solve all your office problems, it can make a major difference to your health today and into the future, so there’s no reason not to give a standing desk a go.
Steven
Cody says:
Hi,
Do you know 9am HOME standing desks?
I want to know how about their desk.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Cody, I’ve never seen them before but I took a quick look for you and I’m 90% certain it’s another Jiecang desk. You can tell by the design of the feet and the lowest height (60cm). Desky, Omnidesk, Stand Desk are all pretty much the same.
Cody says:
Which one do you mean? Pesk or Robin series? I am interested in their Robin series, it looks unique and beautiful. I can’t find anyone like it in Desky.
Steven McConnell says:
I was talking about the Pesk Series. Robin series does look attractive and unusual, but I’m usually not a fan of tubular legs as they tend to be more prone to wobble. I can’t say whether this is the case in this instance, as I haven’t physically tested the desk myself. The 10 year warranty is reassuring, however. I wish they offered a risk-free trial to let you test out the legs!
Cody says:
Thank you very much, Steven; I will take your comments into consideration.
Erin says:
Do you know much about Kangadesks? There are Australian as well.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Erin, its another Jiecang standing desk. Same as Desky, Omni, Stand Desk etc. The design of the feet and 60-125cm height range gives it away. The desk appears to currently be currently on sale for $299, which is an absolute steal and I’m wondering why they’re selling their stock at 1/3 of RRP. Regardless, even if they’re about to go bust, I’d still buy one at that price.
EDIT: Be careful. Fakespot showed these warnings while browsing their website: “Multiple eCommerce scam experiences detected, Poor customer service”
Suzy says:
Hi – given all the desks are so similar, is it possible to mix a desk from one brand with a drawer accessory from another? I don’t like the UpDown desk metal drawer (hangs very low so likely to impede leg space) but don’t mind the Desky one – can these be mixed and matched?
Thank you for the reviews! Super helpful.
Steven McConnell says:
Yes, it’s possible to play switcheroo. But you may want to consider that UpDown design is curved, so it will hurt less if you do jam your thighs into it. Desky’s meanwhile, is quite angular. Pro tip: you can also find a bunch of inexpensive slimline desk drawers on Amazon.
jason says:
I’ve spent far, far too much time agonising over which desk to get haha, definitely more than a week. Very happy that you’ve added the omni-desk to your catalogue. That was the one I was considering the most untill you came you with a review saying that it was more wobbly!
Anyways, do you have an opinion on the new updown desk KLIK Series? Its advertises to be significanlty ligher while having better (on paper) specs
Thanks!
Evelyn says:
Hi Steven, great blog post – thank you! I’m also wondering whether you have any opinion or insights on the new UpDown Desk KLIK series…they come at $100 more expensive (for the same size/table top) but seem to be ‘better’ according to the UpDown website.
Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Evelyn, thanks! I will have a full review of the KLIK up around February 2025. It’s not necessarily a better standing desk – but it is lighter, less bulky and promises easier assembly.
Ben Clements says:
Hi. I’m interested to know more about whether I actually could fit the Desky cable management system in the Omnidesk? I’ve had a look at the omnidesks in person at the showroom and it looks like their cable management trays screw on (vs the clip in at the edges of the desk with the Desky tray). The desky system also has the power plugs that snap into place in the tray.
So I’m curious to know if you have you tried it, and if so how did you do it please? Or is your thinking that you’d just buy the power boards and plugs from Desky and rest them in the Omnidesk tray?
I’m stuck, because I prefer the Omnidesks but I really love the idea of a single power lead!
Thanks
Steven McConnell says:
I just had a new Omnidesk delivered to my house. Give me about two weeks to assemble it, test it out and report back.
Sunni says:
Thanks for your very helpful (and funny) review. I used the information to to buy a Desky standing desk in record time – no consumer agonising for weeks, as is my usual practice. It has a pneumatic up/down mechanism, so lets see how that goes.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! You’re welcome, Sunni. Glad I helped you cut down on the agonising. The pneumatic mechanism is an interest choice – let me know what you think of it?
Amber says:
Hi Steven,
Really great and insightful review. It was refreshing to see something that wasn’t filled with ChatGPT affiliate link garbage!
I’m curious about your opinion on L-shaped standing desks? I know that Desky, UpDown and a few other retailers offer these types of desks and I would assume they are more strong and stable, but I’m not an expert and I can also imagine the opposite being true due to the irregular shape. I’ve been looking at these types of desks because I think their shape suits my space the best. Do you have any knowledge on this or do you only have experience with regular rectangular shaped desks?
Steven McConnell says:
Thanks, Amber. Did you know that I have a L-shaped standing desk review? Search for “arielle best corner standing desks” and you’ll find it.
Melissa says:
Hi Steven great article thank you!
I’ve spent way to much time on this, and I’m now leaning towards the Artiss thanks to your review.
I’m wondering if you have any insight into ergonomic chairs for the home office also?
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Melissa, thanks! The Artiss is a great budget pick. I’ve written numerous ergonomic chair reviews – Google “arielle best ergonomic office chairs” to find them 🙂
tania says:
hey are there any other manual desks apart from the ikea ones you don’t recommend, that you would recommend? I prefer the idea of not needing electricity to move between stand up and sit down but maybe that doesn’t really exist?
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Tania, all of the premium brands (UpDown, Desky, etc) offer a manual crank model. Definitely the way to go if you want to avoid electronics. But TBH I suggest you reconsider. Electronics are very reliable these days – and hand-cranking your standing desk is more annoying than you’d expect.
Adam says:
Hi, do you know much about the UpDown Klik vs Pro system?
Steven McConnell says:
The company has shipped their new Klik standing desk to me yesterday. Stay tuned!
Scott Long says:
You mention in your review of the Up Down Pro that you would get the cable holes and grommets done, but it looks like your (very pretty) Messmate desk doesn’t have them. Is your recommendation a hindsight reflection, or did you choose not to spoil the look of the desk with the grommets? Without the grommets can you can still run the cables behind the desk and into the cable management tray? Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Scott, I said in the review that grommets and holes are a great idea, not that I have them. They’re less important if your standing desk faces a wall. But if you have an open-plan style home office like mine, they’ll make your workspace look much cleaner. PS You can still run cables into the tray without the holes and grommets – the cables will simply run behind the desk.
Isaac Jenkinson says:
Hello,
Have you had a chance to try the new UpDown Lyft model? Curious about its stability vs the pro.
Steven McConnell says:
Isaac,
Not yet. On first glance, it looks like a budget alternative to the “big brothers”. It’s probably pretty good (UpDown has a reputation to maintain), but I’m of the opinion that buying cheap means you pay more in the long term. I’d save up another few hundred bucks and get the Pro. You can often get a melamine or bamboo-topped model on sale for around $900.
David says:
This is a great site and will help me decide on which desk to buy. Have you heard any good/bad reviews about the Blacklyte Atlas Lite or Ergo-Rise II from BDO furniture?
Steven McConnell says:
David, thanks for the kind words. Never heard of the Atlas Lite until you mentioned it. Looks like a decent gaming desk that borrows heavily from Secretlab Magnus – but why not just buy a real Magnus instead?
As for the Ergo-Rise – looks like a decent desk, but its height controller is outdated. The best standing desk brands have upgraded to OLED controllers.
Ben says:
Thank you for writing this review Steven; really helpful to break through the BS.
By any chance have you used or hold an opinion on Vertilift desks?
Steven McConnell says:
You’re welcome. God, I haven’t even heard of them – but thanks for the heads-up. There are too many standing desks on the Australian market. Obviously I haven’t used these in person, but I’m almost certain they’re yet another Jiecang variant (i.e., frames are identical to Desky). You can tell by the identical max and min heights, as well as the design of the foot.
Eloise says:
Hey Steven, I was recommended the Alwyn or Octavia (Living Fusion) 140cm sit and stand desks from Temple and Webster which don’t even get a mention in your review. Would you bother with any of their brands ? (I may have dodged a bullet by finding your review!)
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Louise, I haven’t had first-hand experience with the T&W standing desk (must add one to my list!).
However, I had a look through the specs for you.
It doesn’t look too bad, actually – considering the price. If you can’t stretch your budget to ~$950 for an entry-level UpDown or Desky, this could be a good option.
Jordan says:
Hi Steven, Thanks for the review! I am starting out with a home office set up and need a new chair and sit stand desk. I’m a student but I prefer to buy things I know will last, but I don’t have too much experience with sit stand desks. I initially thought to buy the Artiss but have considered buying the Acacia UpDown Pro+ so I know it lasts and I don’t have to buy another desk in a couple of years. Is it worth the price jump for me? Thanks!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Jordan, the Artiss and the UpDown desks sell at two very different price points. If you have the budget, I suggest you stretch to the UpDown standing desk – you won’t regret it.
jason says:
I know you’ve disqualified the flexispot e7 pro so the e7 max plus would probably also be disqualified, but a quad motor 4 column desk frame at a prices competitive with UpDown desk is incredibly tempting. Plus 15 year warrenty (if the company lasts that long)
Have you had a chance to take a look? Its like half the price of the desky quad!
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Jason, great observation. I haven’t included quad standing desks here because they’ve traditionally attracted a niche consumer – someone who needs to place a tonne of gear on the desktop and doesn’t mind paying 2X the usual price. But Flexispot’s sharp pricing on their quad desk certainly changes things. I haven’t seen one in the wild yet – but the specs look promising.
Steven
Goce says:
Do you have a list of best non standing desks? I never stand so I don’t see a reason to spend extra on electric motors etc.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! That’s the best question so far. I don’t – do you think people want a guide on this?