The Beauty of Having Great Posture
Guest Post by Nicole Rubin
Good posture is important for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it helps to keep your bones and joints in alignment. This goes a long way to preventing stress and strain on your muscles and ligaments and helps to prevent long-term painful conditions such as arthritis. Proper posture aids with balance, too, meaning fewer falls.
And by having your shoulders back, you’re opening up your chest, allowing you to breathe easier. This means more oxygen, which leads to healthier cells and a lower chance of disease. Good posture gives you more energy too, which creates more opportunities for exercise.
With all these great benefits, you can see why posture is too important to ignore. Read on for some ideas from MindSpa.
Tips for Improving Your Posture
Stand up straight.
That may sound obvious, but for many of us, slouching has become our fallback way of standing. Make sure you distribute your weight evenly and avoid putting more weight on one foot.
Keep your shoulders back and relaxed.
Avoid rounding your shoulders or slumping forward. Instead, try to hold them back but not stiffly.
Be mindful of your core muscles.
Your core muscles, like those in your abdomen and back, play a big role in maintaining good posture. Try tightening those muscles several times throughout the day.
Avoid sitting too long.
Sitting too long can lead to bad posture and poor balance. Remind yourself to stand and stretch at regular intervals.
Visit a chiropractor.
A professional chiropractor can check your posture and let you know if you’re in need of alignment to help keep you standing straight. They can also offer exercises you can do to help with your core and with teaching you tips for improving posture. It’s important to bring your medical records with you. Put them all in one PDF file by using a PDF converting tool. If you have multiple files that you want to extract portions from, then click here for more info on a free tool that can help. Simply place the divider where you want to split the page and save the files separately. Then, you’ll have a completed file that is easy to share with your chiropractor.
Working and Better Posture
Poor posture at work can make you sluggish, tired, uncomfortable, and unproductive. Sitting for long periods of time in front of our computer screen is bad for your back, neck, joints and muscles, and circulation.
The first step you should take is to invest in an ergonomically designed chair and desk. An ergonomic chair will give you lumbar support, which prevents slouching and strain on the lower back. The backrest should be 12-19 inches across. It should have sufficient padding, adjustable armrests, and the ability to swivel. Your desk should have enough leg room for you to cross your legs, and you should be able to sit at your desk with both feet on the floor though a footrest can be used too. Teeter notes that a sit-stand desk is highly recommended since being sedentary for too long can lead to back strain, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
Download an app to your smartphone to remind you to sit or stand straight or to get up from your chair. It’s easy for time to get away from you when you’re working on a project that demands your attention, so having a reminder can keep you from slouching over your keyboard.
Women’s Health recommends purchasing a posture-correcting device, like a posture brace to wear under your clothes. Though they aren’t recommended for more than an hour per day since your core muscles may get sluggish, they can help remind you of how it feels to stand straight.
How well you sleep can also affect your posture. If you are tired, you are more likely to slump or slouch. Try using MindSpa to control your light and sound experience at bedtime and wake up feeling relaxed and ready to go!
How Posture Affects Your Confidence
Correct posture will make you appear more confident and self-assured, while poor posture can make you appear lazy, unsure of yourself, and weak. And poor posture lessens your ability to breathe properly, which can lead to anxiety.
Focus on Your Poster and Feel Better Overall
Your posture is so much more important than you give it credit for. It affects your health both in the short and long term, as well as your own sense of self and how others perceive you. Commit right now to improving your posture, both sitting and standing, working and relaxing. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel.