We have all heard that sitting is the new smoking. Check out these statistics:
A 2010 study by the American Cancer Society found that women who sat more than six hours a day were 37% more likely to die prematurely than women who sat for less than three hours, while the early-death rate for men was 18% higher.
The American College of Cardiology released a study in January that found increased mortality among people who sat longer at home than those who didn't.
It seems the rise of the standing desk is spreading like wild fire around Silicon Valley, including at Google Inc and Facebook Inc.
Not to be outdone by Silicon Valley, Jenkins Legal Services is very proud to announce that after two years of practice we are a fully standing team. The movement started quietly with Legal Director, Micah Jenkins and Practice Manager, Louise Williams adopting the standing desk from the outset. Following this, team members rose one by one to the challenge of the standing desk. But a challenge it is not! After the first few weeks of standing it is actually sitting that our team members struggle with the most!
There was a standing ovation when our newest members, Lawyer Sam Slack-Smith and assistant Renae Longworth announced they would like standing desks, making us a fully standing office. Louise is now intent on raving to anyone who will listen on the benefits of the standing desk.
Please consider the following taken from an article by Lisa Marshall in Men’s Journal from July 2015. Most people will relate to it:
“Imagine a long day in your desk chair. That moment you start to feel lethargic? That's when red blood cells in your legs begin to clump together, thickening inside your vessels and slowing circulation. If, later, you notice a further drop in energy, it's because your body's insulin production is down: The sugars from your morning oatmeal linger in your bloodstream, rather than being ushered into your muscles for energy. Soon a key enzyme (lipase) responsible for vacuuming fat out of the blood deactivates. Small amounts of fat begin to accumulate in your blood; your body will store it in an easy-to-access, central location — your gut. (One reason it may be tough to shed extra pounds, despite those morning runs.) You may also have hunger cravings, even though you haven't moved. That's because your appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin have gone off-kilter. Meanwhile, a more subtle physiological change occurs: Deep within your leg muscles, a gene (LPP1) critical for suppressing clotting and inflammation switches off. By the end of the day, even with a lunch break and trips to the water cooler, your good cholesterol and insulin sensitivity may have fallen 20 to 40 percent.
A day, even a week, of this isn't much of a problem. But repeat the process for years, and it's easier to understand this stat: Those who sit the majority of their waking hours — even if they take breaks and regularly exercise — have two-and-a-half times the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a 2012 meta-analysis of nearly 800,000 people.”
Jenkins Legal Services would like to invite anyone who would like to see a fully functional ‘standing desk’ office to call in and learn how you too can get your team standing. Please call our office on (02) 4929 2000 or contact the Practice Manager Louise via email (Louise@jenkinslegal.com.au).