Can your posture affect your health? Why is your posture important? And, how can a slouching posture affect your health?

Sitting or sleeping in an awkward position can lead to long term aches and pains in the spinal cord, arms, lower back and legs. Let’s evaluate the sitting position. When sitting on a chair, the feet should be straight on the floor with the weight equally distributed on the hips. The upper back should be straight, leaving the lower back arched leading to the buttocks. The shoulders should be relaxed and positioned back, lifting the chest up and opening the lungs to breathe better. The neck and head should be aligned with the back giving a perfect posture.

When your body is tired and comfortable, it can be difficult to untangle yourself from a habitual posture that may lead to stiffness, aches, pains, tingling and numbness. Every time I see a person walking by with poor posture or slouching, I straighten up my spinal posture. Never fails.

In order to understand the effects of your posture, there are a few reasons why good posture is needed to improve your health.

Lower Back Pain Minimized

The lower lumbar or back carries a lot of the body’s weight in this specific area of the back. When the posture is weak or bad, there is a strain on the lower back. In order to minimize any back pain, back exercises are suggested and healthy posture practices are needed for a strong lower back.
Most people are unaware of the S-shaped spinal cord. As a result of the S-shaped spine, there are indentations in the middle of the back and the lower back. The spinal cord indents may appear to be there, but can be causing pressure in the flexibility of the spine because of an improper posture.
The structure of the spine should align and allow the back to move easily. This gives the spine the ability to bend easily and lift heavy weights just from the posture. When sitting for an hour or more, it is best to take breaks to release the tension and stress put on the spinal cord. The break helps to stretch the spine and relax the muscles around the spine.
As mentioned above, exercising helps with posture, strengthens the back and minimizes the pain. Head straight. Neck straight. Shoulders back. Chest out. Back straight. Feet on the floor. Weight evenly distributed between the hips.
Equals a happy spine!

Minimize Headaches

Can headaches be related to your posture? How? Great question! Yes, posture is linked to headaches. There can be a lot of factors that are linked to a headache. In the case of posture, the spine is connected to the head, so when you get a headache there is usually tension. What causes the headache? The headache happens when there is stress in the upper back, shoulders and neck region. Some of the workplaces that cause people to carry stress in their upper body which leads to headaches are: sitting at a computer for a long time, lifting heavy objects, and stress-inducing environments. There are some solutions to alleviating stress headaches, which are:

• Getting a massage
• Stretching
• Exercising
• Using a heating pad
• Placing peppermint oil on forehead or neck (you can place on both areas if desire)

Feel More Energetic

Good posture keeps you active and energetic. The spinal position aligns the bones and joints to contract and relax the muscles easily; as a result, there is less fatigue and more energy.
In addition, poor posture limits the amount of oxygen released by the lungs. When slouching forward, lung function and capacity are affected. The hunch forward posture causes shortness of breath, poor cognitive function, and heart and vascular issues. That’s why it is life-threatening to correct your posture! The amount of energy you feel when you stretch the spine is priceless for your health.

Improved Blood Circulation

The movement of blood is an important task needed in the body for it to be able to function. When the posture is obstructed specifically because of position the result is painful cramps. The cramps are because of circulation and movement limitations. As mentioned above, stretching and exercise help the blood to circulate smoothly.
When you are positioned for long periods of time with little to no movement, the circulatory system is affected. This is because the human body was not created to sit still for long periods of time. The human body is a huge system made of several smaller systems. If the circulatory system stops, it affects all the other systems. How does posture tie into blood circulation? When poor posture is held, the blood circulation through the blood vessels is constricted; there is also a misalignment in the spinal cord and compression against other vital organs.
This is why it is important to move through: stretching, standing, dancing or any form of motion.

Good Posture Includes:

• Chin parallel to the floor
• Sit straight
• Keep feet on the floor
• Arms at sides
• Elbows even and straight
• Knees pointing straight ahead
• Body weight equal on both knees.