12/17/2019 / By Grace Olson
When you’re sitting down comfortably against a sofa or an armchair, it’s difficult to keep a straight, “proper” posture. This sentiment applies to different positions as well, such as standing, facing the computer and even lying down. However, posture contributes to your health a lot more than you think. Taking measures to improve it may offer better sleep and moods.
Posture refers to the positioning of the body. While bad posture may seem harmless at first, it may contribute to a series of uncomfortable conditions and inevitably, a harder time exercising. When this happens, it increases your risk of injury.
Here are some common posture mistakes you might be practicing:
These examples of bad posture may seem normal and even natural because you see it every day. However, they result in various uncomfortable effects, such as:
These effects are not exclusive to bad posture. However, mistakes in posture may negatively affect other aspects of health, such as sleep, heart health and mental well-being. (Related: Improving your posture could help reduce muscle pain, joint pain and headaches.)
Bad postures stem from varying causes. Some people just got used to bad posture over time. For others, the problem may come from poor muscle tone, strength and flexibility. Thus, while bad posture is not necessarily harmful, it may be a sign that you need to strive for better health.
Here are some things you can do to improve your posture:
There are a lot of exercises that can help improve posture. For beginners, it is best to target the back, buttocks and abdomen. Some of the exercises that can help improve posture include:
Remember to gradually let yourself get used to the position first. Repeat these exercises every day until you can do them for longer periods.
Putting on too much weight places stress on the whole body. Unless the weight comes from muscle gain (like bodybuilders and ballerinas), this extra stress may pull the body out of alignment.
Using small items may help ensure that your buttocks, back and thighs have enough support to maintain proper posture. Put a small pillow against your lower back while sitting down. You can also wear shoes with thick soles to help you stand longer when necessary.
Many people have office jobs, which means that they sit in front of a computer for hours in a day. Without noticing it, people may be hunched over their keyboards or sticking their chins out. To avoid these, check your posture every now and then and adjust accordingly.
Learn more about the importance of posture and other ways to improve it at Health.news.
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Tagged Under:
back pain, exercises, fitness, longevity, neck pain, pain relief, physical activity, planks, posture, prevention, sitting, slouching, stress relief
This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author
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