“Sit up straight!” Three words that almost every child has heard. Whether it’s from parents, teachers, or well-meaning strangers, the advice held true then and holds true now: sitting up straight matters. Good posture supports good health. It’s a simple thing you can do every day that has a beneficial impact on your overall wellness that costs zero dollars to do and requires no special equipment or training. The trick is being aware of how you carry your body and adjusting when needed. If you’re wondering why “sit up straight!” is an almost universal piece of good advice, read on as we break down the many benefits of proper posture.
Better Breathing
One of the most dramatic effects posture has on our health is its impact on our breathing. A straight back creates a straight, unencumbered path for oxygen to circulate to the brain and through the rest of the body. When we slouch, the combination of rounded shoulders and forward head posture tightens our chest muscles and compresses our lungs. That tightening limits the ability of the rib cage to expand, which causes us to take more shallow breaths. A poor posture leads to less oxygen getting to the brain, which can make you feel less energized and negatively impacts cognitive functioning. More oxygen in the body also impacts your digestion and other bodily functions, as slouching reduces blood flow to vital organs.
Less Headaches
Another benefit of practicing good posture is that it can reduce the number of headaches you experience. Poor posture can actually increase the rate in which you receive headaches. Slouching creates tension in the shoulders and neck, which can lead to headaches developing in the forehead or the back of the skull. Maintaining a smooth, straight-backed posture eliminates that forehead-causing upper body tension.
Improved Spine and Neck Health
Poor posture can have a profoundly negative effect on the way your spine grows. A slouched position puts pressure on the posterior structures of the spine, building tension in the intervertebral discs, muscles, and ligaments. This can lead to chronic back and neck pain if it’s not addressed quickly enough.
Strengthen Bone, Joint, and Muscles
Posture depends on the collaboration of muscles and bones working in tandem. When posture is good and your spine is properly aligned, it puts less strain on them to do their job. When the posture is bad, it puts more stress on your bones, joints, and muscles. This strain can lead to chronic pain and the development of other health problems like osteoarthritis, muscle fatigue, decreased stamina, and poor athletic performance.
Better Balance
Poor posture throws off your center of gravity. Poor sense of balance can lead to significant issues as you age, as it can make you more prone to falling. Good posture alleviates this issue as it gives you a properly aligned spine and center of gravity.
Alleviate Stress
We’ve already touched on how poor posture causes physical stress, but did you know it also causes mental stress? Researchers found that our core muscles send “fight or flight” signals to our adrenal glands, which causes our brain to trigger the kind of stress we associate with fight or flight states. Our adrenal glands help regulate our metabolism, blood pressure, immune system, and respond to stress by producing adrenaline, a stress hormone that sets off our fight or flight response. Those adrenal glands are impacted by our core muscles, which are a key part of our posture. When those core muscles are physically strained and impacted, they trigger those adrenal glands, which in turn makes our brain turn on the stress spigot. By practicing good posture, we keep our core muscles relaxed, which helps modulate that stress-inducing fight or flight response.
Practicing Good Posture
How do you practice good posture? “Just sit up straight” holds true but isn’t very helpful. Here’s a few practical things you can do everyday to get yourself into the habit of maintaining a properly aligned spine:
- Ears over shoulders. When you stand up straight, hold your straight and tuck in your chin. Position your head so your ears should be over the middle of your shoulders.
- Don’t slouch at your desk. Work all day at the computer? The urge to slouch can be strong but you must resist. Get a supportive, ergonomic chair that supports your back and keep it straight while you work. Raise up your screen and keyboard so you don’t have to lean in or look down while you work.
- Keep your phone up. “Text neck” is a real problem. Looking down at your phone all day can do a lot of harm to your posture. You can mitigate this by lifting up your phone so it’s above the chest and closer to eye level. You should be able to read your phone without having to move your head.
- Invisible string. If you feel yourself slouching, imagine there’s a long invisible string sticking out of the top of your head like a candle wick. Imagine you can tug that string up, pulling yourself back into alignment like you’re lifting an anchor off the ocean floor or pulling a sink drain on a chain.
- Work on your abs. Stronger core muscles offer more spinal support and make it easier to maintain good posture.
- Get a supportive mattress. A bed that’s too soft could be bad for your posture. Get a mattress that offers more support. Use a pillow that’ll keep your head level with your spine when you sleep.
Article by Austin Brietta
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