Good posture: Why is it important?

Good posture is a health benefit, and there are many reasons why. Your posture aids the positioning of your body, whether standing, sitting or laying down. 

Healthline says that good posture is also known as a neutral spine, meaning that when you have good posture, the muscles around your spine are balanced and support your body equally. 

If you have been told to stand up straight, don’t take it personally, but rather as helpful advice. There are more cases where people recognise poor posture in other people than themselves. Look around you at the office or even sit-down restaurants, and you will likely see people slouching at their desks or hunched over at a table.  

It pays to have a good balance.

Good posture is necessary for your balance. When you stand up straight, you also centre the weight over your feet. It helps to correct your form when exercising, decreasing future injuries and increasing more significant gains. 

You can perfect your balance and posture by doing any sport or activity, from tennis to golf, running, etc. Even if you aren’t an athlete, good balance is imperative. You need a good balance by just walking from A to B, going up and downstairs, lifting up packages, and even turning to look behind you. 

The benefits of a good posture

Reduces back and neck pain

Posture is felt properly when your bones and joints are in optimal alignment. For example, good posture can decrease the wear and tear on supportive structures, such as your spine. If you keep this in mind, your body will support your weight without any difficulty. 

Poor posture adds stress to your tendons, muscles and ligaments, resulting in neck and back pain. 

Goodbye headaches!

Poor posture contributes to tension headaches. It is mainly because of the increased muscle tension at the back of your neck. You can ease muscle tension by correcting your posture and cutting down on headaches.

A great exercise to try at this point is stretching your neck muscles while doing a head retraction exercise. The exercise focuses on the weak neck muscles and strengthens them by stretching them out. 

Energy level burst

Bones and joints in the correct alignment allow your muscles to work as intended, reducing fatigue and increasing energy. If your alignment is out, your muscles work harder than they are supposed to. 

Are you ready to feel a burst of energy? Try twisting your torso. It immediately activates your side abs and strengthens your obliques. The correct muscles activate whether you do this sitting or standing. 

When done right and over a week’s period, you can see improvement – especially a spike in your energy levels. However, doing the exercise for over a month may turn good posture into a natural habit for you. 

Improve your digestion

Slouching is an unnatural position for your body. Most of all, it can impact specific abdominal organs. Avoid stooping or hunching over your desk because it may interfere with proper digestion. The same applies to slouching when looking at your phone, as it can increase the threat of constipation and acid reflux. 

Slouching can also cause heartburn. By sitting up straight, you may feel immediate relief. 

Mood booster

Good posture isn’t necessarily your go-to action when wanting to improve your mood. Surprisingly, your brain and body have a two-way communication method. It simply means that your mood can impact your posture and vice versa. 

Happiness can find you sitting up straight, and slouching is common when you feel sad or down. This is good to remember if you feel your mood sinking. At that moment, try to change your posture or stand up straight while taking deep breaths in and out. A gently boost in your mood may appear. 

Decrease wear and tear of your joint surfaces

There is such a thing called crooked sitting and standing. It is resting on one leg or side of your body too long, resulting in hip strain. An expert says that your joints wear down naturally over time. Fewer problems arise when your posture is taken care of. However, a crooked posture can lead to more pain and issues. 

Some exercises strengthen your core and lower back and, at the same time, assist with stretching your hip flexors. 

A healthy spine keeps the doctor away.

Good posture is just one easy way to keep your spine in good physical shape. It may take practice and mindfulness, but it is worth it in the long run, especially if you spend most of your time at work sitting in an office chair.

Sitting and standing with proper alignment may improve your blood flow and support your muscles, ligaments and tendons, but it is also essential if you are looking to increase your self-esteem. 

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