A hunched over look does more than affect your physical appearance. Poor posture renders you with a weaker body in terms of joint alignment, balance, digestive processes, and pain resistance. Your mood, stress levels, and self-esteem are likewise adversely affected. With your health down the line, the importance of observing proper posture cannot be highlighted more.
Good posture is all about keeping your body form in check- whether sitting, standing, walking, driving, or sleeping. Whatever it is you’re doing, improving your posture can be fun with a bit of creativity! Here’s how:
1. Put mind-body connection at work
Standing up straight is a crucial aspect of developing good posture habits. Keep shoulders square and position your feet shoulder width apart. Direct your weight on the balls of your feet, and the rest of your body will follow. Pull your head back and up. To keep at it, imagine a string gently tugging your head upward. Walk as if you’re balancing a book on your head. Pick an object or color to serve as a reminder to keep your posture in check.
2. Make yourself comfortable when sitting
Slouching, despite taking less effort and making you seem cooler, offers merely temporary comfort. Ultimate comfort is found only when you have learned to relax within the norms of good posture. Once you’ve established the more desirable habit, you’ll be surprised how it actually feels uncomfortable whenever you slouch! Investing in a good office chair enables you to survive long work hours. An ergonomically designed chair that perfectly suits your height and weight will keep health conditions at bay.
3. Drive in the right position
Maintain proper distance from the steering wheel and pedals and position yourself correctly on the seat. Be mindful that your back touches the back of the seat and that the middle of your head is against the headrest. Your buttocks must be completely squeezed in to prevent backaches and potential driving injuries.
4. Use a posture corrector device
Wearing one inconspicuously underneath clothing will keep your bones healthy, your body in great shape, and your confidence high. Posture correctors offer support from the neck, shoulders, upper and lower back, down to the ankles whenever you sit. Those featuring highly rated designs provide more comfort, optimal support, and a better overall experience.
5. Get yourself some quality sleep
How you sleep contributes to your waking posture more than what you may think. A firmer mattress would give ample back support. Use head pillows but don’t overdo it, unless you want to wake up feeling stiff and groggy. Ideally, you should sleep on your back to keep your neck, spine, and shoulders in a neutral position. Slipping a pillow between your knees when sleeping on your side will maintain proper spine alignment.
Maintaining better posture is best achieved with the right strategies and helpful aids that work best for you. Follow these tips and focus on increasing self-awareness of your posture, which then leads to conscious correction. Soon you will realize just how big the change good posture can bring about in you!
