What is the right ratio of sit to stand?
The most-cited guidance comes from a 2015 expert statement in the British Journal of Sports Medicine: aim for 2 hours per workday standing or lightly moving, building up to 4 hours, broken into bouts of 30–60 minutes. That maps to a 30/30 or 45/15 sit/stand cycle, not standing all day — prolonged static standing causes its own problems (varicose veins, lower-back compression). The default 30/30 here matches the median recommendation. If you are new to a sit-stand desk, start at 50/10 and build up over two to three weeks.
Does a standing desk actually help?
It helps with some things, not others. Evidence is strong that alternating reduces lower-back pain in people with desk jobs (2018 systematic review in Applied Ergonomics) and reduces self-reported fatigue. Evidence is weak that it burns meaningful extra calories — standing burns roughly 8 kcal/hour more than sitting, so the headline 'standing desks fight obesity' claims are overstated. The real benefit is movement: alternation makes you shift posture, which is what your spine and circulatory system actually need.
Is standing all day better than sitting all day?
No — it is worse in some respects. Static standing for more than four hours is associated with increased risk of varicose veins, carotid atherosclerosis, and lower-extremity musculoskeletal pain. The 2018 Take-a-Stand study found symptoms emerged sharply after 4 hours of continuous standing. Alternation is the entire point of a sit-stand desk; if you find yourself standing all day, lower the desk and sit for a cycle. Pair this with the Pomodoro timer (/utility/pomodoro) for additional movement breaks.
Should I use an anti-fatigue mat?
Yes if you stand for more than 30 minutes at a time. A soft anti-fatigue mat encourages micro-movements of the calf muscles, which act as a venous pump and prevent the blood pooling that causes the heavy-legs feeling. Studies in Ergonomics (2017) showed mats reduced lower-limb discomfort by 30–40% during 2-hour standing bouts. Hard floors and stiff shoes amplify the static-standing problems above. Replace the mat every 18–24 months — they compress over time and lose the cushioning that gives them their effect.
How should I set my desk height?
Standing: elbows at 90°, monitor top edge at or just below eye level, wrists flat, screen 50–70 cm from the face. Sitting: same wrist and monitor rules, plus thighs parallel to the floor, feet flat. Most height-adjustable desks have memory presets — programme one for sit and one for stand so you do not have to fiddle each cycle. If your monitor is on a single fixed stand, you may need separate sit/stand monitor positions; an adjustable monitor arm solves this.
Can I get notifications when the tab is in the background?
Yes, if you grant notification permission the first time you start the timer. The notification fires on every phase change so you do not have to watch the tab. The audio chime needs the tab to be active or recently active depending on browser policy — Chrome and Firefox throttle inactive tab audio aggressively. The screen wake-lock is released automatically when the tab is hidden, by the spec, so the display may dim. Keep the tab visible if you want all three cues.