This is a guest post by Jenny Ellis.
You probably heard it a million times growing up from your mom, “Stand up straight! Your shoulders are hunched over! You’re going to turn into the Hunchback of Notre Dame if you don’t start paying more attention to your posture!”… At least I did. I never really paid too much attention to it either, until I started noticing the drastic hunched over look in kids I saw doing homework and adults bent over their desks. My initial thought: it’s really not attractive to be hunched over like that. Eventually though I started wondering how posture affects your health. Turns out, it affects your health in a lot of significant ways. If you don’t think having proper posture is essential to maintaining good health, think again.
- Poor posture affects your energy levels. Being slumped over a desk or computer all the time does nothing but zap your energy throughout the day. Because it depletes your energy levels you’re less likely to be motivated to work out or even really do anything other than watch TV and lay down on the couch at the end of a long day at work. Try sitting up straight all day long. You’ll probably notice that you aren’t nearly as worn out when 5pm rolls around.
- Poor posture makes your muscles work overtime. A lot of people who work in office jobs complain about their backs and shoulders hurting because they’re stuck at a computer and behind a desk all day. However these aches and pains are directly related to how straight you’re sitting, and your muscles have to compensate for the fact that you’re throwing them off balance every time you don’t sit up straight.
- Proper posture will help you exercise more efficiently. Making sure to keep your spine aligned doesn’t only relieve muscle tension and fatigue, but it also translates into more effective work outs. When you have better posture you are able to execute different exercise moves with better form, and having good form is essential to achieving maximum results when working out.
- Proper posture will help decrease your risk of injury. Having proper posture doesn’t only translate into good form while exercising, but also helps decrease your risk of injury while working out. Poor posture, on the other hand, causes your body to be imbalanced, which makes some parts of your body have to overcompensate for this and work harder than others, thus increasing your risk of injury.
- Proper posture gives a sense of confidence. Sitting up straight and throwing your shoulders back gives off a feeling and look of confidence. This renewed sense of confidence can translate into all aspects of your life – not to mention it makes you look better all around.
Your mom was onto something all of those times she harped on you to sit or stand up straighter. Whether you realize it or not, having good posture has a direct impact on our health and well-being. So sit up straight and throw those shoulders back. And don’t be surprised when your health takes a turn for the better.
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