Our bodies are designed to move; the Formed desk has with a pull-up and dip bar that encourage our body’s natural intermittent movements throughout the workday. You can do pull ups, dips or stretches on the desk; basic exercises that can be done as a short or full workout to enhance focus and engagement at work.
BORN TO MOVE
The human body is designed to move. For thousands of years, that is exactly what humans did. In the 20th century, however, rapid technological progress led to people’s lives becoming increasingly sedentary (The average person spends 12 hours sitting)
DISEASES OF CIVILIZATION
This change in lifestyle has made us vulnerable to a number of health problems, termed “diseases of civilization.” One of these diseases is sitting disease.
Sitting disease is a condition of increased sedentary behavior that is associated with adverse health effects (high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high blood sugar etc.)
What can be done?
FORMED
Studies by the Cornell University Ergonomics lab show that by making simple lifestyle changes (standing up, sitting less and moving more) we can experience a great number of attainable benefits to our health, our minds and our bodies (Buckley, J.P et al., 2015).
Some of the benefits of standing and intermittent movement include:
- lower risk of serious health issues (ranging from cancer to early mortality)
- increased energy and productivity levels, lower stress and improved mood
- boosts metabolism, tone muscles and even reduces common aches and pains.
We designed the Formed desk to promote a healthy lifestyle, productivity and curb the detrimental effects of sitting.
FAQs
Q: Doesn’t exercise cancel out sitting all day?
A: Prolonged sitting negatively impacts the health of your blood and heart vessels. Interestingly, a group of Harvard researchers found that regular physical exercise doesn’t erase these negative effects. Sitting less and intermittent movements are more effective at curbing these harmful effects of prolonged sitting.
Q: What is the recommended usage of the Formed desk?
A: It is suggested that one alternates between standing and sitting (70:30 split). This reduces the negative effects of continuous standing/sitting and increases enzymes needed for metabolism
Q: Isn’t standing enough?
A: Simply standing isn’t sufficient. To reap the benefits of standing, movement is the key; movement promotes blood circulation through the muscles and enhances metabolism, which improves cholesterol, blood sugar, and high blood pressure.
Q: Why is the Formed desk not flexible?
A: Â Research has shown that the use of sit-stand positions rapidly declines so that after 1 month a majority of people are sitting all the time (Wilks, S., 2015). We designed the Formed desk with the intention of empowering people to commit to healthier lifestyles. That said, we are working on a stool that will help one sit to avoid the adverse effects of standing for too long.