Correct Your Posture
It’s May! That means it’s national Correct Your Posture Month. This is the time, right now, for you to correct YOUR posture. It’s never too early or too late to work on your health so why not start now?
Why You Should Work on Your Posture
Sitting up straight may seem like a pain at first but it’s only because your spine has been used to hunching over which causes more long-term pain such as headaches, back pains, troubles breathing, arthritis, and more. Poor posture can be detrimental to your health. Working a little bit each day on sitting up a little straighter can be life changing and lead to an overall healthier life.
Having proper posture not only increases physical health but it also increases mental health. Walking tall has been proven to boost confident levels compared to walked with a slumped back. Studies have also shown that having good posture leads to higher energy levels throughout the day, positive thoughts occur more frequently, and overall a better outlook on life. This may seem like a bunch of hocus pocus that chiropractors tell us to believe that sitting up straight is better but there is science behind it. Research has proven that the spine is the path way to through the whole body and a proper spine makes it easier for hormones to flow freely through the body.
How to Work on Your Posture
There are a lot of ways to improve posture and there have been so many new products that help keep your spine long including objects to sit on, products that manually pull your shoulders back, and even chairs that promote a health spine but there are things that everyone can do without all the fad products.
This may sound like the obvious answer but simply stand tall. Roll those shoulder back, lengthen your spine, and boom, you have defeated the most important step to improving your posture. Imagine your body as a long line of energy. Think as if you are standing straight against a wall both shoulders touching the wall, ears centered with the shoulders, hips in line with each other, gaze goes straight out in front of you. Do this while sitting down, standing up, walking around, eating, driving, just stand tall!
Keep your neck straight, eyes forwards, and draw your chin inward. This may feel like you are showing off your beautiful double chin, but I promise this will help keep you from hunching over. We tend to tilt our heads down to look at our phones, computers, reading material, etc. but this is so bad for the neck and spine leading to a degenerative spine. Simply keep your neck straight, bring whatever you are looking at higher up, and move your eyes around rather than your neck.
Lastly, see your chiropractor. Chiropractors are medical doctors that are here only to help you feel better. Getting a wellness adjustment even once a month can help keep your spine where it should be. Our spines get used to being in positions when they are there for long periods of time. Like wearing braces, it takes time to adjust teeth (and spines) into the correct place. Seeing a chiropractor not only relieves pressure from built up tension in the spine but they can also examine your spine and properties that could help your posture and get you feeling better on a day to day basis.
