Helps Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
Anyone who’s ever been to a doctor for a routine checkup can tell you that keeping track of your blood sugar levels is important. If your blood glucose is too low, you risk hypoglycemia, or if it’s too high, you could develop diabetes, which has been linked to heart disease and stroke.
Maintaining blood sugar levels within normal ranges is crucial to maintain healthy insulin sensitivity. For example, when you’re seated for long periods, your muscles become less sensitive to insulin, leading to increased glucose production in the liver and, eventually, diabetes.
Standing keeps your muscles moving, which helps keep your insulin sensitivity high and your blood sugar levels within normal ranges.
One study found that participants who regularly sat for extended periods were up to 48% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t sit as often.
Another recent study found that when participants seated for two hours had their blood tested, they had higher blood glucose levels than participants who had been standing for two hours. The researchers said this was caused by the fact that standing decreases your insulin sensitivity.
