A few years ago, I bought a standing desk.
I had visions of myself powering through work like a productivity machine. I’d read that standing was better for my back, burned more calories, and maybe just maybe would make me sharper. The first day, I stood tall, feeling virtuous. The second day, my legs complained. By the third, I was sitting again, wondering if I’d just bought an expensive coat rack.
It got me thinking: what’s really happening in my brain when I stand up versus when I sit down?

The Standing vs. Sitting Brain Study

A research team including my colleague Dr. Artyom Zinchenko ran a fascinating study that measured exactly this difference.
Here’s what happens in your body when you switch from sitting to standing: • Your heart rate increases • Your physiological arousal goes up • Your nervous system becomes more alert
But does this actually change how you think? That’s where it gets interesting.

Two Different Kinds of Brain Work

The researchers tested people on two very different mental tasks, both sitting and standing:

• Word-based thinking (like the classic Stroop test where you name colors while ignoring the words)
• Visual-spatial thinking (spotting small details in big pictures while filtering out distractions)

The Surprising Results

For word-based tasks: Sitting vs. standing made no difference. Your brain processed language and reading just the same.
For visual-spatial tasks: Standing gave people a clear advantage. They were better at scanning information, spotting details, and filtering out visual clutter.
The key insight? The physical arousal from standing specifically helps your brain with spatial, visual processing, not verbal processing.

What This Means for Your Day

Stand when you’re:

• Reviewing presentations or documents
• Scanning data or spreadsheets
• Planning projects visually
• Organizing information
• Looking for patterns or details

Sit when you’re:

• Writing or editing tex
• Reading complex material
• Doing verbal reasoning
• Having deep conversations

My New Approach

I’ve stopped treating my standing desk as an all or nothing tool. Now I match my posture to my task.
When I need to scan, organize, or spot details, I stand up and let that natural alertness work for me.
When I need to dive deep into words and complex thinking, I sit down and get comfortable.

 Bottom line: The difference between sitting and standing isn’t only about being “healthier” or “more productive” overall. It’s also about giving your brain the right physical state for the specific type of thinking you need to do.
Your body position is actually changing how your brain processes information. Thanks to this research, I finally understand why some tasks feel easier when I’m standing and others don’t.