Have you ever formed your own opinions of someone you noticed to be slouching at a dinner table or at work? In today’s world, first impressions and reputation management are essential in social and work environments and having bad posture can make a person seem as being not confident or as unapproachable. The right posture can also be a vital key in bettering a person’s health.
From an early age we are told that we should “sit up straight,” but you may not have been told the extensive reasons as to why it is important. It has a greater effect on your life than you may have realized.
Healthline states that a person who has good posture sits with their feet flat on the floor, their back is straight, and their shoulders are back and relaxed. When a person is standing their legs should not be completely straight. Healthline believes that good posture can help people to have less back pain, less shoulder and neck tension, and less risk of wearing out body joints. There can be an increase in a person’s energy, lung capacity, circulation and digestion, and they can have a better form when working out. People can also look taller and increase their self-confidence by having good posture.
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Some least common benefits of maintaining good posture can be some of the most important ones there are. Muscle and Fitness informs that “breathing becomes easier and deeper” when a person has a proper posture. This is why doctors tell their patients to straighten their backs when they are going to hear their lungs. For people who spend their day working at an office desk, Muscle and Fitness recommends they make keeping their spines healthy a priority. Most office chairs do not include proper back support and sitting in one position for long hours can strain back muscles and the spine.
Unexpectedly, but not surprisingly, people with good posture are better at digesting food. Sonima shares that sitting and standing right can also improve people’s mood and decrease anxiety. Relaxing our muscles and taking deep breaths calms down our bodies and will reduce any anxious feelings or butterflies. Avoiding slouching can also reduce headaches. Headaches can be the result of having your head too close to a screen, for example. To have a better and more healthy posture, people should try to make daily improvements. Sonima recommends that you focus on pushing your shoulders back and walking for about an hour every day.
Correcting bad posture does not have to be a daunting task. Write down helpful tips and post it somewhere where you will see it every day. You can also set reminders on your phone or have a friend or family member remind you often.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) observes that although people who have had poor posture for a long time will find it more difficult to fix this issue, it is possible to correct this as long as the person is aware of their posture and is willing to put in the practice needed.
ACA acknowledges that there are three areas in which people need to focus on their posture: sitting, standing, and lying down. When sitting, people need to place their feet flat on the ground, keep their legs uncrossed, and support their lower back. They should relax their shoulders and change their position a few times if they are going to sit for a long period. To stand correctly, people need to keep their weight on the balls of their feet and their feet and arms need to be shoulder-width apart. Bending their knees naturally and letting their head be level will also improve a person’s posture. Lastly, people with bad posture need a good mattress and pillow. They should not sleep on their stomach and can find that sleeping on their side (with a pillow between their legs) can be beneficial in reducing back pain. ACA also states that people may sleep on their backs, but they should place a pillow under their knees for support.
The way that you present yourself at a dinner table or carry yourself when walking into an interview directly connects to your posture. People will either see someone confident or closed off.
If you are experiencing pain, focusing on your posture first can prove to be more worthwhile than you may have thought possible. Reflect on how your posture is right now and whether your body needs to be taken care of in this way. The results of this may surprise you later on!
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