{"id":12577,"date":"2021-03-26T10:00:07","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T15:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=12577"},"modified":"2025-06-18T14:33:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T19:33:46","slug":"standing-up-for-a-healthier-lifestyle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/standing-up-for-a-healthier-lifestyle\/","title":{"rendered":"Is standing good for you?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Standing throughout the day is a wonderful way to improve your circulation, boost your energy and lower the risks of chronic conditions. It helps engage inactive muscles, leading to better posture and a stronger core.<\/p>\n

\n

Find a primary care provider<\/p>\n

Talk to your PCP<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So, stand up.<\/p>\n

Right now. Do it. Get out of your chair and stand up.<\/p>\n

Congratulations!<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve made your first move toward a healthier lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Benefits of standing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Standing six hours a day burns 50 more calories than sitting for the same amount of time \u2013 but you don\u2019t have to go from zero\u00a0to six on the first day or even the first month. You don\u2019t even have to do all six hours at once to start improving your health and posture.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver a year, [those calories] could be five pounds lost for an average-sized person,\u201d said Jaime McCarthy, a physical therapist at OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

The very thought of standing for six hours might be daunting. You may be wondering, How am I going to stand for that long?<\/em> But it\u2019s important to remember that the average American sits for more than eight hours a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Between the two, it\u2019s better to stand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou burn about .15 more calories per minute standing instead of sitting,\u201d said Jaime. \u201cIt\u2019s not a quick fix. You\u2019re not standing to replace an exercise program. But it\u2019s a good place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n

Potential weight loss is not the only thing about standing. Medical research studies show that standing as little as 30 minutes a day can lower your risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Standing for 90 minutes can reduce that risk by more than 33%.<\/p>\n

Is standing all day good for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Standing for some periods is beneficial. But it\u2019s not good for our bodies to be in one position, whether lying, sitting or standing, for extended periods of time.<\/p>\n

\"woman<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you stand, you\u2019re engaging all your postural muscles, which could prevent you from having back and neck pain in the future,\u201d Jaime said. \u201cWhen sitting, you don\u2019t have to engage too many muscles. You may lean on the armrest, lean back or lean forward on your desk. You don\u2019t engage your core. Never engaging those muscles leads to increased stress on the joints, and that can lead to pain.<\/p>\n

How much sitting is too much?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The exact threshold of “too much sitting” can vary depending on sources, but here\u2019s a consensus based on current health research:<\/p>\n