How many of you are reading this newsletter while sitting down? First of all, thank you so much for taking time to read it. Secondly, if you are reading it on a mobile device, can you do me a favour? If you are able to, stand up and read it while standing, or even better moving around. If you are reading it on a computer or laptop, you could possibly stand up to read it too. Thank you 🙂 But why?

There is a ton of research out there about how our brains work better and take in information more readily when we are moving, and it is difficult to move when we are sitting down. It is the way our brains seem to be wired from an evolutionary point of view. Understanding of situations and the world around us, as well as any information that comes our way, is taken in by our brains and filtered and stored far more easily when we are in an upright and standing position, and even more so when we are moving about.

Hang on? We take in and process information better when we aren’t sitting? How come I got in trouble at school for standing up in the classroom?

Sadly that fact, and the fact that our learning establishments, be they schools or universities, have not caught up with what science has been showing for decades.

A great study had two identical classes of nine year olds in a German school learn in two different ways. The students were measured at the start of the academic year for their academic powers, and then one class was taught in the traditional way – sitting down at desks. The other class had all the desks and chairs removed, and standing bar tables and bean bags installed instead. Apart from that they were taught in the same way using the same curriculum. At the end of the year, their academic prowess was measured again. Both classes had made progress. The one taught the standard way had made as much progress as would be expected. However, what is really interesting, is the class taught without desks or chairs, and who were forced to either stand up or sit on bean bags, had made far more progress simply because their brains were more active.

That study just highlights the importance of movement for our brains. So in the words of Bob Marley, get up, stand up! 

That doesn’t mean you have to spend your life never sitting down again, but when you can, stand up. Move about a bit. Your brain will thank you.

If you have access to a standing desk, ise it. A quick internet search of the benefits of standing desks throws up lots of information from simply burning more calories in a working day to helping improve your mood and productivity. Working while standing helps with your blood circulation and oxygen delivery to your brain and muscles, which in turn will give you more energy throughout the day.

And the best part? Standing up is such a quick and easy fix. So while I often say that there are no quick fixes, or “health hacks”, and to be wary of anyone telling you that there are, especially if they are selling something, this is the exception to that rule. Standing up is so simple, and conveys so many benefits to our bodies and our brains.

If you’d like to know how to get started improving your health and fitness in other ways, then please click this link and let’s have a sensible conversation about you, your goals, where you are now, and how we can get you moving in the right direction. I’d love to hear from you.