Sitting, standing and walking with proper posture not only makes you look thinner, but it also improves your health as well. You suffer from fewer back pains, headaches, and other related issues; plus, an aligned spine allows your brain to accurately send and receive the appropriate signals to the rest of your body via your central nervous system, allowing every system in your body – from your circulatory to your digestive to your reproductive systems – to function efficiently and effectively.
So, what can you do to improve your posture and live a healthy life?
Raise your awareness of it.
First and foremost, you need to be aware of how you sit, walk, and stand so that you realize when you need to realign yourself. Start by setting a timer to go off every 30, 60 or 90 minutes and take note to your posture when it does. The goal is to get you to pay more attention to it on your own, which you will soon begin to do because it will become more of a habit.
Do regular stretches.
This is especially important if you have a sedentary job where you are sitting or standing in the same position all day every day. Take 5 minutes every hour or so (maybe after your timer has went off to check your posture) and do some simple stretches to release the tension in your body and prevent your muscles from tightening up and contributing to poor spinal health.
Strength train your core.
The stronger your abdominal and back muscles are, the easier it will be to keep good form. Strength train 2-4 times per week and you’ll notice less fatigue and fewer back issues over time. Yoga and Pilates are two other exercises that offer similar advantages.
Sleep using proper form.
The best sleep position when it comes to posture is on your back with your head on a pillow that allows your head to rest in alignment with the rest of your spine. Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach if you can and, if you prefer your side, put a thin pillow between your knees to keep your spine in position.
Do these four things and your posture will improve dramatically. So too will your health and wellness.
