I've had a standing desk for a few years. Like most people, I bought it hoping I'd sit less and get healthier. But it wasn't that easy.

Honestly, standing even just a few minutes at a time was draining, and so I ended up doing it less and less. I have learned this is a very common story.

Then I read about the Topo Mat - an anti-fatigue mat with 3D "calculated terrain".

I was skeptical, but I ordered one and it arrived two days later. It was nicer than I expected, but still more or less just a hunk of foam. It can't really make a big difference, right?

I put it on the floor and stepped on.

Initially, it felt good. It was cushioned but not too soft, and it was kind of fun to explore the shapes with my feet. Suprisingly fun, actually.

Maybe, I thought, there is something to this idea.

Well, I may have been skeptical in the morning, but I was convinced by the evening. I wasn't trying to push it, but I stood for four hours that first day, and felt great doing it.

I had been told that Topo was going to make a difference, but I'm still shocked by how big the difference is. And I didn't realize how much it would improve the way my body felt. It’s like I found a secret key to feeling great at my desk - and after work, too.

And with apparently well over half a million people using these mats, I'm not alone. Here are 9 reasons that standing desk users like me are calling Topo the best purchase they've ever made for their health and well-being.