When you think about the difficulties and dangers associated with living a sedentary lifestyle, it becomes clear why health officials are so worried. Since we spend so much time each day sitting at a desk in front of a computer, office employees are known to be singled out for constant sitting. However, new research indicates that they aren’t the only ones susceptible to prolonged sitting.
Research shows that kids these days are also susceptible to the dangers associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Hence, the popularity of standing desks has unlocked a new segment in the market – school going children.
Standing desks have completely changed how people conduct business, including schools. Kids all over the world can easily benefit from standing desks in their classrooms and at homes. The amount of time spent in chairs has increased for kids as institutions quickly adjust to the new teaching demands. Although it's true that kids are spending an increasing amount of time sitting down, most experts agree that youngsters require at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Moreover, since gym class and recess has seen a stark decline, record obesity rates have been reported.
In the past few years, standing desks have done nothing but revolutionised the modern office. Employees as well as businesses have embraced an active work life. But standing desk use in schools has been slower than expected.
One major disadvantage of traditional desks is that they make our children sit all day. Adults who sit for extended periods of time are known to have major health risks, which is why so many of us have switched to sit-stand or stand-biased desks.
The consequences of a sedentary lifestyle can be severe, even in children. Although nutrition is largely to blame for the rise in childhood obesity, excessive sitting is also a significant contributing factor. According to this study, children in Canada and USA spend majority of their time sitting, which is alarming when you consider the long-term health repercussions of sedentary living.
Are Standing Desks Good for Kids?
In the classroom and at home, standing desks can be a terrific alternative to sitting. Active standing can even aid to boost student health. According to a recent study, children who used standing desks had a much lower BMI percentile.
While most people would agree that children need to move more, you must remember that a standing desk is not a substitute for gym class. What a standing desk can do is support the promotion of an energetic, active lifestyle.
It has also been demonstrated that even something as basic as a standing desk can aid children in developing self-control and independence. Students can switch between standing and sitting at their desks as needed if they have adjustable desks rather than just fixed height desks. Making that crucial decision can aid children in developing their self-control and independence.
If you're like most parents, you're constantly searching for strategies to encourage your children to be more active. In order to prevent sedentary behaviour and encourage mobility, standing desks have grown to be more and more common in recent years. But are they suitable for children? Well, absolutely! Children can benefit from using a standing desk in the same ways that adults do in terms of excellent health advantages.
Children benefit from standing desks for the same reasons that adults do. Various health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity have been related to sedentary behaviour, which standing helps to fight. Plus, standing desks encourage children to walk around more during the day, which is important for building strong muscles and bones. Moreover, standing has been demonstrated to increase focus and concentration, which may result in higher academic performance.
The classroom in the past was a lot colder and sterner, and mainly focused on academics only. Children were expected to remain quiet and learn for long periods of time while being seen but not heard.
Thankfully, civilization has made significant progress since then and we have evolved to a much more interactive learning technique. We now adhere to a set of ideals that is more inclusive, active, and comprehensive. Yet we continue to require our children to spend most of their learning time sitting motionless.
Understanding what makes standing desks valuable and why desks are significant will help us grasp the importance of introducing standing desks in schools. If you have ever transitioned from working with your laptop in your lap to working with it on a desk, you may already know the difference it makes.
Desks, however, are much more than just a surface. They give us a designated study space and a location we associate with learning. Additionally, they offer a setting where it is psychologically simpler to concentrate.
What Advantages Do Standing Desks Have in Schools?
Many contemporary workplaces are equipped with standing desks to promote an active workday. Therefore, standing desks must have a role in the future classroom if the office has finally learnt better.
Standing to study can help to increase productivity and focus throughout the day, just like working in an office. Plus, if broadly adopted in this era of increased childhood obesity, it could have significant positive effects on public health as well. What makes schools so sluggish to adapt, then? There are numerous possible explanations, but the two most common ones we have heard are connected to misunderstandings.
The first is the perceived cost of standing desks, which is not nearly as high as many school administrators may believe. The second is based on the worry that having students sit at standing desks will somehow result in a more disruptive behaviour and less attentive class. However, the evidence appears to deny these claims.
How Can Standing Desks Improve Classroom Concentration for Students?
The benefits of a standing desk for schoolchildren include improved concentration and focus. Most students have trouble staying focused on their academics and will use any excuse to divert their attention. However, according to research, children who use standing workstations had less episodes of fidgeting or losing concentration.
Kids who use standing desks can stay comfortable all day long, change positions frequently, and move around freely, which helps them learn and focus. However, the increase in physical activity is likely to have the greatest effect.
Moreover, the risk of obesity among children is also decreased by using standing desks. Did you know that childhood obesity rates are at an all-time high? Action must be taken now, before it's too late, as 1 in 3 youngsters are nowobese or overweight.
Too much sitting time and lack of exercise are two of the major causes of childhood obesity. Given how much time kids spend sitting at school, it was only a matter of time standing desks for school-going kids were introduced.
Standing desks have been shown to help you burn more calories than you would while sitting, and they also encourage you to take short pauses for moderate exercise, which helps you burn even more calories.
Children are not known for having short attention spans or the ability to concentrate, which may be a huge issue while studying in a classroom setting. A child's development may be hampered by poor focus and concentration, which can influence their learning and grades in general. According to studies, using a standing desk for schooling can help children concentrate and focus better overall, preventing their thoughts from straying while they should be learning.
Children need to move. When they can move around, they are better able to digest information, learn, and concentrate. One of the finest ways to provide children with a healthy learning environment is with a standing desk that is appropriately built. By selecting the greatest standing desk for a child, you may encourage healthy behaviours and impart the best lifestyle practises.
The age at which children should begin utilising a standing desk will vary depending on characteristics like maturity and height, thus there is no universally applicable answer to this topic. A decent starting point is, however, at the age of seven or eight.
Most children are tall enough at this age to use a standing desk without any problems, and they typically have the attention span and focus needed to work at a standing desk for extended periods of time.
Final Thoughts
One benefit of standing workstations is that you can perform any activity. Kids can engage in a variety of other activities at a standing desk in addition to studying. For instance, standing desks are excellent for arts and crafts, video games, and crossword puzzle projects. Overall, standing up can be used for every task that can be done sitting down.
Children of all ages can benefit greatly from using standing desks to encourage good behaviours. To ensure that standing is comfortable and convenient for your child, pay attention to their input and start out slowly. With the help of our finest standing desks, you and your child can work together to create their very own desk. Give it a go!