Our posture has a profound effect on various parts of the body, usually the spine, shoulder, neck, and legs. Improving your posture can save you a lot of pain and agony in the future. This article will focus on helping you improve various aspects of your posture for better health.
Stand Straighter
A common concern for those with a bad posture is how to correct their standing posture. Your standing posture is very noticeable and should be the first thing you should try to correct, as doing so solves many other issues.
The common advice is to stand straighter, but what exactly does this mean? To help you visualize what, doctors recommend thinking of it like being pulled upwards by a string. In this posture, your head is straight, your spine follows its natural curvature, and you do not have to strain your neck and shoulders.
Start by relaxing your shoulders and then moving them back. Keeping your feet slightly apart but not quite shoulder width, pull your abdomen inwards. Remember to distribute your weight evenly between your two feet and not tilt your head in any direction.
Now relax your knees, keep your feet straight and hold this posture when you stand. Doing all this regularly should help improve your standing posture.
Do Some Exercises
One of the best ways to improve your posture is doing exercises that correspond with your posture. For example, if you often find yourself slouching in a chair, that could mean tension in the muscles causing you to seek a more comfortable posture. Sitting up and regularly doing back extensions, planks, and bridges can help with this.
If your bottom sticks out while you stand, that shows your spine is not curving correctly, a condition known as hyperlordosis. Core strengthening exercises, thigh stretches, bottom contractions, and hip flexor exercises can help. Also, be conscious of how you stand and try to make a conscious effort to stand straighter.
Jaw posture is not something many people think about, but how your face rests can profoundly affect how you look. There are common exercises for correcting jaw and facial posture, and this post covers several exercises that can help improve both.
Sit Better
With many people working in an office or sitting down, it is easy to get into bad habits that lead to the wrong sitting posture. You can correct this by doing a few things, starting with adjusting your chair and desk heights. You should adjust both such that your feet lie flat on the floor and your arms are at 90 degrees with your body. Also, ensure your seat is straight and your back is resting fully on the back of the chair.
To avoid bending forward or slouching, move your seat forward until you are in an optimal position. If you work with a computer, adjust the monitor’s height until your eyes are straight, and you can see every part of the monitor without too much strain.
Remember to always keep your shoulders straight and your neck, back, and shoulder muscles relaxed, especially if you sit for long periods.
Change Your Sleeping Posture
Most people do not think about their sleeping posture. Bad sleeping posture is a cause of back pain and not getting enough sleep. Start by getting a firm mattress that offers adequate support. Test it out first to ensure you get one that is just right for you.
Try to sleep on the side or back as these positions are better for your body and get a pillow that supports the shoulders and head.
When you think about improving your posture, look beyond your standing or sitting posture. How you sleep and the types of exercise you do also profoundly affect your posture.
