Why Standing Comfort Requires a Footrest

Why a Footrest?

Have you ever wondered why most restaurant bars have a footrest? It’s simple really. They know a footrest improves standing comfort allowing customers to stand, and buy, longer periods of time! That’s why a footrest is needed for standing comfort – at the bar, work or school!

Standing Benefits

All our standing desk options include a footrest or foot prop. It’s not an arbitrary design feature! We’ve all heard of the benefits of standing for adults and children:

  • Standing burns more calories than remaining seated
  • Standing allows us to expend energy, especially children and teens or those with ADHD
  • Standing improves circulation getting more blood flowing and oxygen to the brain, helping to decrease depression
  • The list goes on!

Footrest Benefits

However, many standing desks on the market lack a key detail – a footrest. The footrest is the key to longer, more comfortable standing times. What can a simple footrest possibly do?

  • The footrest allows users to rest from side to side while continuing to stand and reap the benefits
  • A dual height, dual depth footrest (like the Classic design) not only provides a rest while standing but also provides an ergonomic place for feet while sitting. The footrest positions the foot in front of the knees improving flood blood. Most stools have a ring for feet placement, but this position cuts off blood flow.
  • The footrest also allows a place to stretch the back of the legs while standing or sitting.
  • Another key benefit is propping the foot relieves press off the lower spine and aligns the tailbone. Again, improving standing comfort.

Pain is Likely the Lack of a Footrest

If you’re not already a standing worker or student, it’s probably because you’ve heard some people complain about back pain. They have back pain, because they don’t have a footrest allowing their body to rest side to side and creating an ergonomic posture. Some people may try to immediately stand for 4 hours. Our bodies are a designed to move but if you haven’t been moving a lot lately, you’ll need to build up your standing time.

Sit to Stand Transition with a Footrest is Key

There’s no one right answer for everyone but standing provides an opportunity to increase movement, create a healthy body and mindset. Transitioning from sitting to standing throughout the day is the key to a happy, healthy body and lifestyle. And a footrest is a vital feature to create ergonomic, standing comfort.

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Turn Thanksgiving into a Happy, Healthy Holiday!

According to Wikipedia, Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The event that Americans commonly call the “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621.

Today, Thanksgiving is one of the only times that extended families can come together. We eat until we can’t see straight, sit on the couch watching football and even nap. So how do we maximize family bonding and minimize overindulgent eating and create a healthy holiday? Activities everyone can participate in!

House Beautiful suggests:

  1. Pumpkin roll – Get your blood pumping before or after the feast. Host a pumpkin roll in the backyard. You’ll need lots of room since pumpkins don’t roll in a straight line. Divide into teams, set start and finish lines, and get rolling.
  2. Turkey bowling – With the help of plastic cups you can challenge the family to a friendly Thanksgiving bowling tournament. Use mini pumpkins or a tennis ball to bowl with and try to knock down your plastic cup pins.
  3. Do it yourself escape room – If you’ve ever wanted to try an escape the room game, know that you can set one up yourself—and perfectly themed for Thanksgiving, too. Using this printable kit (and the required items from the supply list) you can make a fun holiday room escape scenario the whole family can enjoy.
  4. Thanksgiving charades – Charades is always a fun party game for all ages. You can make it extra fun on Thanksgiving by using words and phrases that are seasonal and festive. Acting out “cranberry sauce” and “pumpkin pie” might be a little bit of a challenge, but hey, that’s part of the fun, right?
  5. Mini pumpkin hunt – Every holiday has its respective sought-after object—for Easter it’s chocolate eggs, for Christmas it’s candy canes, and for Thanksgiving it’s uh, pumpkins. Or, at least this game is making it so. You’ll need lots of pumpkins and a volunteer to hide them before the guests arrive. We’ll be kind and recommend mini pumpkins as opposed to the regular 20-pound variety.

Some other fun ideas are:

  1. Outside scavenger hunt
  2. Family tag football
  3. Family soccer
  4. Nature hike for items to create and/or decorate a holiday wreath

Google Ideas for a Healthy Holiday:

Google has options for every family scenario. The key is to make a conscience effort to make Thanksgiving a healthier holiday. Whether you choose to skinny up your current recipes, add activity to avoid being a couch potato or both, know that you and your loved ones will benefit! Start now and give thanks for your healthy family.

Stuck at the in-law’s unhealthy Thanksgiving? No worries. Remember to drink plenty of water, choose the healthier options and do a little more standing next week at work. Standing desks, walking meetings and parking farther away from the front door will all help take off the extra holiday pounds!

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Youth Suicide – Ways to Help

Youth suicide is on the rise. There are many of us fighting to stop this tragic loss of our youth – from lawmakers to parents to schools. However, there is still a lot of work to be done. Further, as a society, we need to join forces to empower those at risk to build confidence and self-worth.

LAWMAKERS

In 2004, lawmakers passed an important youth suicide prevention act. The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA), named for the son of Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, whose son died by suicide in 2003. The Act’s focus is to curb youth suicide through distribution of grants for prevention efforts. In addition, the law supports three important programs according to the Federal Action Network:

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Ensures GLSMA grantees receive appropriate information, training, and technical assistance on:

  • Developing and implementing cost-effective early intervention programs;
  • Identifying and understanding the causes and associated risk factors for suicide;
  • Surveying suicidal behavior and nonfatal suicide attempts; and
  • Evaluating and disseminating outcomes and best practices of mental health and substance use disorder services.

Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Strategy Grants to States and Tribes
Provides states and tribes/tribal organizations funding to develop and implement:

  • Early intervention, assessment, and treatment services;
  • Information and awareness campaigns;
  • Tools to evaluate intervention and prevention practices and strategies;
  • Training programs for providers and childcare professionals.

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services and Outreach on Campus
Enables colleges and universities to prevent youth suicide by authorizing:

  • Educational and outreach activities on suicide prevention;
  • The development and implementation of evidence-based and emerging best practices;

PARENTS

With today’s social media and online bullying, it is challenging to get our children to open up about what they are feeling and what is going on via their social media accounts. Yes, there are aps to help us attempt to stay on top of attacks on our children but we also need to pickup on cues. The American Academy of Pediatrics has some great resources for us on their Healthy Children site:

  1. Don’t let your teen or preteen’s depression or anxiety snowball. A bad day happens. However, weeks of moodiness is cause for investigation.
  2. Listen even if your teen is not talking. Further more, if three or more of these things are happening, dig deeper:
    • Major loss (i.e., break up or death)
    • Substance abuse
    • Peer or social pressure
    • Access to weapons
    • Public humiliation
    • Severe chronic pain
    • Chronic medical condition
    • Impulsiveness/aggressiveness
    • Family history of suicide or recent school suicide
  3. Never shrug off threats of suicide as typical teenage melodrama. These are signs:
    • “Nothing matters.”
    • “I wonder how many people would come to my funeral?”
    • “Sometimes I wish I could just go to sleep and never wake up.”
    • “Everyone would be better off without me.”
    • “You won’t have to worry about me much longer.”
  4. Seek professional help right away.
  5. Share your feelings, let your child know he or she is not alone.
  6. Encourage your teen not to isolate themselves from family and friends.
  7. Recommend exercise. Physical activity can put the brakes on mild to moderate depression.
  8. Urge your child not to demand too much of themselves. Divide ‘overwhelming’ tasks into smaller goals.
  9. Remind your teen who is undergoing treatment not to expect immediate results.
  10. If you keep guns at home, store them safely or move all firearms elsewhere until the crisis has passes.

SCHOOLS

Although suicide is the leading cause of death among teens, KQED Education believes “schools are uniquely positioned to help.” In fact, there are many tools available including:

  • Posting the Suicide Prevention hotline number throughout the school: 800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Use the Sources of Strength program to support students’ mental health
  • Create environments that help students interact such as makerspaces, group projects, team building.
  • Self-confidence is a key to giving student’s strength to pull through tough times. Standing desks have been shown to improve student confidence by improving eye to eye contact with teachers.
  • Obesity is a major concern for our children. It also directly impacts self-confidence. Schools are now more in tune to creating active classrooms to help get more movement back into our children’s lives. Wobble stools, standing desks, yoga balls are just a few items being added to help children lose weight and improve self-image.

The world is changing. As leaders, teachers and parents, it is up to us to STAND UP and fight for our children, stop youth suicide, stop bullying while improving their overall health and self-worth. Together we can make a difference. One step at a time.

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Standing Desks Benefit Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a medical condition that affects 6.1 million children and teens according to the CDC. Did you know that standing desks can help alleviate ADHD symptoms? According to WebMD, ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder among children. Children with ADHD may exhibit signs of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Symptoms vary from child to child. However, ADHD commonly affects a child’s ability to:

  • Pay attention
  • Sit still
  • Focus in a classroom setting
  • Practice self-control
  • Stay on task

Causes and Diagnosis

The exact causes of ADHD are unknown. Possible explanations include heredity, chemical imbalances, poor prenatal conditions, or toxins. Children may exhibit some of the common symptoms of ADHD, but it’s important to have a child examined by their doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Healthcare providers use the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual to diagnose children with ADHD.

Treatment

There are many treatment options available to help children with ADHD. There are also lifestyle changes that can help children focus better. Treatment options include medicine, behavior therapy, parent-teacher coaching, social skills training, and school support.

Treatment will vary from child to child, but the important thing to remember is to choose an option that works best for your child and family.

ADHD and School

Students with ADHD can face many difficulties in school settings. Therefore, it is important for healthcare providers, parents, and teachers to work together to decide on the best course of action. Teachers have the power to help students by monitoring their progress, focusing on their individual needs, and making simple adjustments in the classroom like:

Standing Desk Research Results

Standing desk benefits for children have been widely researched with repeated, consistent results. Some reported benefits are directly related to the ADHD affects noted above:

Reported Benefits

Improved classroom management by allowing students to fidget and move

Decreased instances of principal referrals

Improved student self-confidence

Increased participation from introverts

Easier transition from PE/Lunch/Recess back to teaching/learning

Increased student self-worth

Fewer bathroom break requests, more time paying attention

Research Results

5% Improved Standardized Test Scores

15% Increased Engagement = 7-9 More Minutes per Hour

20% Increased Calorie Burn

5% Reduction in BMI Percentile

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Standing Desks Improve Mental Health

Depression in Youth

It’s no secret that our society is suffering from a multitude of physical illnesses. However, mental illness has been a hidden secret for many including our children. With the influx of social media, our society is experiencing a surge in mental illness including depression and low self-esteem.

According to Mindwise Innovations, our 1 in 5 of our youth are also impacted:

  1. About 20% of young people experience depression in their teen years. Between 10% to 15% of teens have symptoms of depression at any given time.
  2. About 30% of teens with depression develop problems with substance abuse.
  3. Depression in youth leads to problems at school, running away, low self-esteem, eating disorders, self-injury or disinterest in career or educational opportunities.
  4. Three times more female adolescents develop depression than their male counterparts.
  5. About 8% of teens suffer with depression for at least a year at a time, compared to the roughly 5% of the general population.
  6. On average, 64% of youths with major depression don’t receive mental health treatment. This varies by state from 42% in New Hampshire to 77% in Arkansas.

How do we Help?

How do we help our youth? Of course, there are a plethora of options, but two simple ideas are:

  1. Determine Emotional Intelligence. Does your child know how to identify their feelings? Then how to deal with them to address self-motivation and relationship building?
  2. Adolescents who are obese are at greater risk of social and psychological problems. According to a 2015 study by Ranjana K. Mehta, standing desks not only help our youth burn more calories but also improve mental health.

Fad or THE Future?

Some may see standing student desks as a fad but there are proven researched benefits – academic and health related. Think about your timid first grader sitting in their desk being looking up at their teacher towering over them. It’s intimidating even though it is not meant to be. Now envision your first grader standing confidently at a standing desk. They now have improved eye to eye contact with their teacher while feeling empowered by their standing position. This not only improves your child’s self-confidence, but their standing desk improves mental health as well.

At SMART Standing Solutions, we are focused on health and well-being for all. While standing desks improve mental health, there are many other resources to help you, your child and family. National Depression Screening Day is October 10th, 2019. You can take a free, confidential screening at Mental Health America.

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Family Health and Fitness Day

What is Family Health and Fitness Day?

Family Health and Fitness Day was created by the Health and Information Resource Center and is celebrated each year on the last weekend in September. The goal of the day was to inspire families to get up, get moving, and encourage family involvement in physical activity. Events are hosted throughout the community but these ideas can be used as a daily guide to increase your family health.

Fun Ideas for the Family

In order to make physical activity more exciting, let each member of your family pick one activity that they would like to do. Listed below are a few suggestions, but don’t limit your child’s imagination. Any activity that requires movement works perfectly to improve family health!

 

Walk/Run Football Capture the Flag
Bike Ride Basketball Roller Blading
Swimming Kickball Dance
Slip-n-Slide Soccer Obstacle Course
Treasure Hunt Hiking Hopscotch
Twister Tennis Trampoline

Try making weekly commitments like Walking Wednesday or Silly Dance Saturday. Create monthly neighborhood fitness days involving different activities each month. Start healthy potluck parties where each person brings their favorite healthy meal. Having a community all trying to make health improvements makes the seemingly daunting task much easier and fun.

Small Fitness and Nutrition Changes Make Huge Impacts

No matter the activity, make today about being active with your loved ones! Focusing on family health develops lifelong habits that will keep you and your family healthy for years. These small changes today will help fight the childhood obesity epidemic facing many children today. In addition, you can start slowing adding more fruits and vegetable to your daily menu. Every small change makes a huge impact!

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The Fight Against Childhood Obesity

Public Health Concern

Obesity is the number one health concern for children. Obesity is determined by a child’s body mass index. It is defined as having a BMI above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age or sex. With a prevalence of 13.7 million children and adolescents affected, childhood obesity is a serious issue requiring urgent attention. Obesity rates are the highest in children ages 12 to 19-year olds. At this age, children learn and build habits they carry with them into their adult lives. Obese children are 75% more likely to be obese adults. Facing lifelong challenges such being at a higher risk for chronic health conditions, low self-esteem, and isolation from peers.

School’s Back in Session

Children spend roughly 1,290 hours of their year in school. This equals 14% of their entire year and 22% of their awake time. The best way to improve physical activity in order to lower childhood obesity is to start with a change in the classroom. Whether children are home schooled, attend private school, or attend public school, they will benefit from simple changes that will improve their health.

Many school interventions only aim toward reducing calorie intake and are nutritional based. School day physical activity has decreased considerably to focus on improving standardized test scores. Students, however, are not immune to this change and suffer consequences of an inactive environment. Physical inactivity leads to weight gain, an increased risk for diseases, and a decrease in classroom engagement and productivity.

What Can Be Done to Help Decrease and Prevent Childhood Obesity?

Though childhood obesity is a growing concern, it is not an irreversible issue that can’t be improved with simple lifestyle changes.

Changes can be made at home.

As a parent or guardian, there are many ways to either prevent or decrease obesity in the lives of your children! The CDC recommends the following:

One of the best things a parent can do for your child’s nutrition is to make sure their meals are balanced and rich in healthy foods. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, dairy, lean meat, and water into their daily eating habits. Avoid consumption of foods and beverages high in sugar and fat. Another simple change is to incorporate physical activity into their after-school routine. Whether it’s going for a walk, throwing a ball outside, or playing tag, make sure to turn off the screens and encourage them to choose an activity that gets them moving!

Changes that can be made in schools.

Changes can also occur in the school setting to promote and increase physical activity:

An increase in physical activity in the classroom leads to improvement in engagement, cognition, productivity, and the overall health and well-being of children. Though childhood obesity isn’t a problem that will be solved overnight, it’s prevalence can be reduced significantly if the community, schools, and parents come together to provide a healthier environment for their children!

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September: National Fruit and Vegetables Month

Impact of Daily Fruits & Vegetables

Incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet is just as important to your health and cognitive ability as daily physical activity. Since obesity is the leading health concern for children, it is important that their food intake is filled with nutrient dense foods, rather than calorie dense foods that offer no nutritional benefit. The low glycemic loads of fruits and veggies help satisfy hunger by preventing blood sugar spikes. As a result, children will be less likely to feel hungry and snack on unhealthy foods throughout their day.

Not only does a balanced, healthy diet filled with fruits and veggies help fight against obesity, but it also helps fight internal battles that are not as easily seen. Many studies have revealed that people who consume more fruits and veggies are at lower risk for many chronic diseases; heart disease, stroke, some cancers, high blood sugar, digestive issues, etc.

Tips & Tricks to Increase Fruit & Vegetable Intake

Quantity of intake is important, but variety is just as important! We challenge you this month, National Fruits & Veggies Month (@fruitsandveggies), to increase your intake by at least one fruit or veggie each day and to try a new fruit or veggie each week that you’ve never eaten before. Below are some tips that will help you achieve this challenge!

  • Add a fruit to your breakfast routine
  • Keep fruits and veggies where you can see them
  • Wash fruit and veggies as soon as you get home from the store to save time during the week
  • Instead of an unhealthy snack, swap to a fruit or veggie as your snack between meals
  • Frozen fruits and veggies last for longer periods of time, so purchase a few bags so that you will never run out
  • Add fresh fruit to yogurt and smoothies
  • Add veggie toppings to your pizza
  • Even if a recipe already contains them, add extra fruits and veggies for more color and flavor

Start Simple for Huge Benefits

Fruits and veggies have the power to improve your health, fight obesity, and prevent chronic diseases. The first step to a healthier life is to improve your diet! Start simple; small changes have a huge impact. Focus on incorporating one extra fruit or veggie into your diet each day this month, and watch your health change for the better!

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Color Impact in Your Classroom

Using Color to make an Impact in Your Classroom

It’s a well-known fact that color can enhance your mood, and while no one should go as far as ingesting yellow paint, you can use color in your classroom to positively impact your students.

Most classrooms look like this: white walls, white tile, and boring seated desks. If students see that everyday do you think they’ll be inspired to be creative and attentive? Colors can impact people in many ways. When you go to McDonalds, the walls and tables are red because the color increases energy and appetite. So, how do you want your students to be affected in your classroom?

Tips for using color effectively

When you open a new box of Crayola crayons, what’s the most satisfying part? That fact that they’re all color-coded! Seeing someone purposefully mix them all up kind of makes you feel bad, too. That’s how color and organization effects our thoughts and feelings. So, use this color association to your advantage.

Create A Color Palette for Your Classroom

Choosing a color palette will help you set a mood for the classroom, and it can keep your decorations organized. No one wants to walk into a room that is decorated with 10 different colors. That would be too much for your eyes to handle, and in a classroom, it can lead to a chaotic atmosphere. Instead, choose a few soothing colors. A palette example could be using light blue and light purple as your base colors, and add an accent color of yellow for a pop of bright energy.  These colors can work together to create a classroom atmosphere of well-being, calmness, creativity, and happiness. Pam Schiller, PhD, a curriculum specialist, author, and speaker, wrote the book Start Smart: Building Brain Power in the Early Years, Revised Edition, and created this color chart for classrooms:

 

Color Impact
Red Creates alertness and excitement.

Encourages creativity.

Increases appetite.

May be disturbing to anxious individuals.
Blue Creates a sense of well-being.

Sky blue is tranquilizing.

Can lower temperature.

Inhibits appetite.
Yellow Creates a positive feeling.

Optimum color for maintaining attention.

Encourages creativity.
Orange Increases alertness.
Green Creates calmness.
Purple Creates calmness.
Brown Promotes a sense of security and relaxation.

Reduces fatigue.
Off-White Creates positive feelings.

Helps maintain attention.

This chart can be a resource for you to choose the most effective color palette for your classroom atmosphere goals.

Using Color with Different Age Groups

Color can be used to positively impact students from pre-K to high school, it’s all about where it is placed though.

With younger students, you can use red placemats and bowls to help those picky eaters during lunch. And when nap time rolls around, you can dim the lights, and use color changing lightbulbs to give the classroom a light blue haze for relaxation. This will encourage them to calm down and rest.

You can also use color placement throughout the classroom with older students. When creating work nooks, think about what the students will be doing there. If the space is meant for reading, then decorate with blues, greens, and browns. This will signal their brains to be attentive to their reading material. If you have a math station, you might want to consider white and orange colors to encourage the students to be alert and positive about their work.

Color can be used on everything from tables to wall hangings. You can also use colored tablecloths, decorations, and lights to change the mood of your classroom for each lesson or workday. The impact that color has on your students can change the way your class is ran, so try to implement some of these color tactics to have the best school year yet!

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How Movement Breaks Can Increase Focus in the Workplace

It’s hard to stay 100% focused at work all the time. Especially when you hit that 2:00 pm slump and the day seems like it’s dragging on. Most people will just grab a coffee, energy drink, or sugary snack to keep them going. But what if there was a healthier and easier solution to this problem?

Increase Your Focus with Movement

A study done on increased productivity over a 6-month period at a call center showed that the employees spent up to 90% of their day sitting at their desks. Even if you don’t work at a call center, this statistic might mirror your day at work. This type of sedentary lifestyle is becoming more socially acceptable in the workplace. Of course, the easiest solution to this is to take a break to exercise. However, not everyone works at a huge company with an on-site gym.

Another alternative to this is to stand while you work. This is proven to be the most effective way to improve memory, focus, and your overall health while working. Research shows that standing desks can also improve your cognitive skills and that physical activity has substantial preventable and restorative properties for cognition and brain function. This includes adults and children. By using a standing desk, or by taking a movement break in your day, you can improve the way you work, your focus and performance.

What does “Movement Break” mean?

These are pretty much exactly what they sound like – a quick break in the workday to incorporate easy body movement. Stop reaching for blood pressure spiking caffeinated drinks or super sugary snacks to give you energy. Instead consider movement your new mid-day energizer. If you’re wondering how to incorporate these breaks without disrupting your productivity here are some tips.

Use your lunch break

Your lunch break can sometimes be the only moment you are away from your desk. After you eat, use the rest of your time to take a quick walk around the office. Even better, step outside to walk around the block. If you find yourself getting tired or distracted after lunch, take 5-10 minutes to stroll around the office. This can help revitalize your mind and give you a much-needed energy boost. If you think this won’t help you, consult famous authors. Henry David Thoreau, J.K Rowling, and Kurt Vonnegut are and were all known to take walks and exercise to stimulate their thoughts.

Stand Instead of Sit

Let’s say that you don’t have any extra time during the day. A way to work and move at the same time is to stand! Standing is a great substitution for physical movement as it will get your blood flowing and your mind out of the gutter. Movement is important in our lives as it keeps us focused, invigorated, and healthy.

Look for Movement Opportunities

There are opportunities for movement all around us. Take the stairs at work instead of the elevator, walk over to your colleague’s desk instead of sending an email, or you could even have “walking meetings” with your team to create a movement based community in your office. Remove the trash can from your office space so you have to walk to toss things away. Have two restroom locations? Choose the one farthest away. If you look for these opportunities you can move all day, improving your focus as you go.

As you go through your workday, keep track of how you feel. If you’re feeling unfocused, tired, or unmotivated, find a way to take a movement break. Soon you’ll see how movement can positively affect your well-being in the workplace!

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