Stand Straight! The Negative Impact of Slouching
Take notice of how you are sitting or standing right now. Did you automatically straighten your back? We subconsciously position our bodies in certain ways, one of them being slouching. Lack of muscle tone can induce poor posture which will cause negative effects to the body. Slouching and poor posture may affect you in the following ways:
Breathing – Allow yourself to breathe easier with proper posture! If you are constantly slouched over, you may be restricting the amount of blood and oxygen flowing to your lungs. Creating poor circulation to the lungs will then result in deeper, faster and uncomfortable breathing, and can cause chronic hyperventilation.
Sore Muscles – Sitting or standing in a constant slumped position may lead to acute or chronic pain due to strained muscles in your back. Eventually, your spine may even become misaligned. By training our bodies to stand up straight will reduce muscle stress and overall back pain discomfort.
Headaches – Did you know your headaches might be stemming from muscle tension caused by poor posture? Slouching can lead to muscle tightness in the neck, causing you to suffer from migraines. This is another example of how our muscles try to adapt to the pressure that is being weighed on them.
Depression – Sometimes our mental state tends to be overlooked. Studies show that slouching can cause decreased energy and depression. However, just standing straighter can result in higher energy levels and a better mood!
How To Stand Straight – It may sound strange to learn how to stand straight, but following this tip might help YOU #GetBetterFaster!
The best trick to help fix your posture and get your spine to straighten is to imagine there is a string hanging from the back of your neck. When you go to pull the string, it automatically lifts your chest and neck up to a “good posture” position, as seen in the graphic above. Remember to also keep your shoulders back. Once your back and neck are straightened out, your muscles will feel less strained and you’ll experience other parts of your body begin to feel better as well!