Historical past of Standing Desks
Stand-up or Standing desks have develop into more and more standard lately as analysis has highlighted the dangers of prolonged sitting. Many individuals who’ve learn lots about this development imagine that standing to work is a brand new scorching fad. Though the standing desk could look like a latest improvement, it has been round for a while. Customers have realised over time that preserving their our bodies wholesome at work promotes productiveness and focus, in addition to a wide range of bodily well being benefits akin to diminished ldl cholesterol, a decreased probability of coronary heart illness, diabetes, and extra.
How lengthy has it been in existence?
Whereas some dismiss the stand-up desk as a fad, it’s a tried-and-true software with a prolonged monitor file of confirmed success. Standing desks’ newfound reputation isn’t a lot about reinventing the wheel as it’s about rediscovering it. The standing desk, such because the one supplied by Oplan, has been utilised by among the biggest brains in human historical past to enhance themselves and their society, from leaders to intellectuals.
However, like with so many different issues, all the pieces outdated turns into new once more. For many years, they’ve been one in every of an important man’s secrets and techniques. We’ll by no means know when the primary standing desk was used, though it’s possible across the 1400s. Leonardo da Vinci is meant to have created quite a few further improvements whereas standing at a standing desk, together with flying machines and the armoured vehicle. Along with being utilised by one of many world’s biggest painters, the standing desk had its premiere on the College of Cambridge, one of many world’s oldest universities (based in 1209). The notion of writing whereas standing was raised to the forefront of mental considering when standing desks have been first reported in a library in 1626.
Standing desks have been utilized by a couple of folks within the 18th and nineteenth centuries, though they turned more and more widespread all through that point. The bulk have been within the homes and places of work of the wealthy. As an alternative of particular person desks chair for every worker, places of work within the nineteenth century steadily used shared sitting/standing desks. Standing desks have been often utilized in instructional lessons. Dr. Ludwig Wilhelm Johannes Kotelmann characterised the state of affairs as follows:
“Lately, it has been claimed that an excessive amount of sitting, even on the correct sort of workstation, damages the stomach organs and circulation. Because of this, desks which may be configured for each standing and sitting are proposed. These are hardly ever crucial for decrease and intermediate programs for the reason that pupils right here rise when questioned and tumble round madly on the playground throughout breaks. They’re extra suited to the highest crust of society.”
Staff who sit all day have develop into extra standard as America turns into extra industrialised, and many roles have been changed by machines. In fact, sedentary employment has elevated by 83 p.c in america since 1950, with bodily energetic jobs accounting for simply 20% of our workforce.
In accordance with new analysis, sitting for lengthy intervals will increase our danger of hypertension, weight problems, heart problems, and doubtlessly most cancers. Because of this, a rising variety of people are reviving the notion of standing whereas working, culminating within the present “standing desk motion.”
Individuals who have utilised a standing desk all through historical past
Leonardo da Vinci (Italian)
Whereas nobody can declare to have invented the standing desk, it’s assumed that Leonardo da Vinci was the primary recognized consumer. He painted the Mona Lisa whereas standing at his standing desk, it has lengthy been claimed.
Napoléon Bonaparte (France)
Standing whereas working has psychological and artistic advantages which have expanded from England to France. The standing desk was adopted by Napoléon Bonaparte, who discovered it to be beneficial to fast considering and navy technique.
Friedrich Nietzsche (Germany)
Friedrich Nietzsche, is a thinker, political thinker, and poet whose concepts are nonetheless related in at this time’s philosophical debates. Not solely stood to work, but additionally strongly believed that seated employment was pointless: “How shortly we work out how somebody got here up with their concepts; whether or not it was whereas seated in entrance of his inkwell with a clenched stomach and his head low over the web page — by which case, we’re by means of along with his guide as effectively!”.
You may assure that squashed intestines like closet air, ceilings, and narrowness, disclose themselves.
Phrase of the Day
With such historic titans in entrance of us, one would count on that the standing desk would have been extensively adopted a lot sooner. Sadly, common recognition didn’t come till science proved that it was a life-or-death state of affairs. Though standing workstations have been as soon as solely obtainable to the prosperous or the eccentric, they’re now obtainable to anyone who needs one. There are numerous choices in the marketplace to match the calls for and budgets of labor and residential places of work, and they’re more likely to be significantly extra user-friendly. The well being advantages that standing workstations present haven’t altered, and this ergonomic furnishings development will undoubtedly proceed sooner or later.
Surprisingly, extra folks haven’t shifted to standing desks sooner, but it surely’s higher late than by no means, as one other saying goes. Be a part of the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, Thomas Jefferson, and Winston Churchill of their pursuit of greatness. Right this moment, combat the risks of sitting and benefit from the bodily and psychological benefits of a standing desk.
Standing desks and our outdated affiliation with them is a characteristic put up
