Your posture is something you may not think about often, but it has a big impact on your health and wellness. Many health professionals agree that posture is becoming a bigger issue as more people spend time at desk jobs or hunched over cell phones and other electronic devices. Fortunately, your posture is something you can work on and improve over time. It takes effort, but the end results are worth it. Here are a few of the top ways posture can positively or negatively affect you.
Positive Impacts of Good Posture
Good posture does so much more than make you look better and feel more confident. It also offers the following benefits:
- Improved mood
- Back pain relief
- Better breathing and oxygen intake
- Improved digestion
- Reduction of headaches
- Prevention of abnormal wear-and-tear on the joints
- Decreased stress on the ligaments of the spine
- Greater flexibility and function as you age
- Improved concentration
- Boosted energy
It may seem strange that poor posture can lead to all of these benefits, but consider the fact that your body and mind are very closely connected. Good posture leads to good alignment, which allows for the optimal flow of blood and energy throughout your body.
Negative Impacts of Poor Posture
Just as good posture yields a host of good benefits, poor posture can negatively impact your physical and mental health in surprising ways. Here are just a few of the negative ways poor posture can affect you.
- Chronic pain and soreness
- Increased stress
- Digestive issues
- Inefficient breathing and decreased oxygen intake
- Lack of motivation
- Poor mood
- Fatigue
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Unnatural curvature of the spine
- Poor circulation
- Misaligned spine
- Constricted nerves
- Frequent headaches and/or jaw pain
In addition to these negative impacts of poor posture, you may also feel less confident in your appearance. Poor posture can make you appear to be up to 10 pounds heavier than you really are, and it can also cause you to appear depressed and sullen.
How To Improve Your Posture
Now that you understand how important good posture is for your overall health, it’s time to determine what you will do to improve yours. Here are a few ways you can start standing a little taller today.
- Strengthen your core muscles (in your abdomen, back and chest) by doing exercises that target those areas. You’ll need core strength to maintain an upright posture.
- Focus on pulling your shoulders back and tightening your abdomen whenever you feel yourself start to slouch.
- Stand with your feet approximately hip-distance apart and try to balance your weight equally between both feet.
- When sitting, avoid slouching in your chair. Keep your computer screen at a level that’s right in front of your eyes so you don’t have to look down or up to see it.
In addition to all of these lifestyle habits, you may also wish to receive some extra help with your posture correction. Newport Medical and Wellness Center offers an effective posture-strengthening service called the LongSpine Method. This combination of classes helps strengthen and improve flexibility in the spine while also helping participants relieve back pain and get rid of excess weight. Enroll today to learn how to maintain good posture.
