You stand up from your desk and feel a pain shoot through your spine. The cause of your discomfort could be from sitting for long periods of time or it could be because of bad posture.
You probably remember your mom telling you to sit up straight all the time when you were growing up. Back then you would sigh and go back to slouching the moment she left the room. Years of doing this will take its toll.
There are more benefits of good posture than keeping back pain away. It also makes you feel more confident, aids in digestion and improves many other bodily functions. Check out this guide to learn more.
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Improved Mental Health
If you go into a job interview with a normal posture and your head held high you’re much more likely to get the position vs if you went in slouched over the entire time. This is because good posture makes you look more confident which is a highly desired trait in a candidate. Not only will you appear to be more confident but you’ll feel more confident as well.
Posture does amazing things to the mind. When people are sad they tend to slouch over. If they’re happy, they sit upright.
You don’t realize it but you do it too. So, when you feel upset, try changing up your posture. It will make you switch into a completely new mindset.
Can’t fit into a shirt that you used to love wearing? Try changing up your posture. Sitting up properly makes you appear to be slimmer which will make your old clothes fit better and give you a boost of self-esteem.
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You’ll Experience Less Back Pain
If you sit hunched over at a work desk for long periods of time, it will start to wear on your back. Bad posture puts a lot of pressure on the spine.
Unless you correct your posture or at least make an appointment with chiropractors, this pressure may begin to change the overall structure of your spine and constrict your blood vessels.
As you can imagine, it’s painful and if left unchecked, it will become hard for you to sit for long periods of time to get your work done.
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Your Breathing Will Improve
When you slouch it causes compression of your lungs and other organs. It won’t stop you from breathing obviously but you’re not breathing as deeply and fully as you could be.
That’s why your doctor tells you to sit up straight while they’re checking your lungs with a stethoscope. Sit up straight and take in a deep gulp of air and then slouch and attempt the same. You’ll be able to notice the difference.
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You Won’t Have as Many Headaches
When you work at a computer all day, it’s easy to blame your headaches on your screen time alone. The truth is, that your computer screen is only one factor.
Slouching causes a lot of pressure on the joints in your neck and shoulders. Not only can it lead to a headache but it can exacerbate already existing ones.
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Good Posture Aids in Digestion
Again, slouching compresses many of your internal organs and cuts them off from the blood flow that they need to function.
The lack of flow can cause a great number of digestive issues such as acid reflux and constipation.
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Less Strain on Your Bones and Joints
If you practice good posture, it helps your bones and joints stay at a proper alignment. It stops you from putting as much pressure on them and keeps you from developing bone degenerative disorders such as arthritis.
Good posture also allows your bones and muscles to work in top form without using up a whole lot of energy.
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You’ll Get More Out of Your Workouts
Practicing good posture doesn’t only stop you from feeling the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time. It also helps you while you’re working out.
It will give you more energy to get the workout done. Staying at a proper posture while you’re exercising will also prevent you from suffering from an injury.
How to Practice Good Posture?
The first step in practicing good posture is to be mindful of it throughout your entire day. Try to stay in good posture no matter if you’re sitting at your desk or washing the dishes.
Keep yourself active. Pretty much every exercise will help improve your posture. There are some workouts such as yoga that are better for it than others.
If you’re overweight it can put a strain on your abdominal muscles and cause you to slouch so try to be mindful of your weight.
Your high heeled shoes are professional and look great with your pencil skirt but it’s not doing any favors for your posture. They throw you off balance and cause you to walk a bit differently than you would if you were wearing flats. It puts a serious strain on your muscle alignment.
Be sure that your work desk is adjusted to a proper height. This will help you keep proper posture while you’re typing away at the computer.
The Many Health Benefits of Good Posture
Are you feeling aches and pains from sitting at a desk all day? You might be able to get a little relief by changing up the way that you sit.
There are many health benefits of good posture. One of them is keeping pressure off your spine so you can perform your desk job pain-free. Be mindful of the way you sit.
Sitting at a proper posture isn’t the only way to stay well in the workplace. Check out the health section of our blog daily for more articles like this one.
Interesting Related Article: “Working in an Office All Day? Here’s How You Can Improve Your Posture“