10 Health Benefits of Good Posture

Your posture and the way you hold your body when standing and sitting, is the foundation for every movement your body makes. It will determine how well your body adapts to the stresses on it. Here is a quick list of 10 health benefits of good posture. If you want to read more about the importance of posture you can find that here.

10 good reasons to improve your posture!

Reduced low back pain: When posture is poor and you are not in proper alignment, the increased stress on the muscles in your back causes them to have to work harder and results in muscle fatigue. Over time, this can lead to muscle strain and overuse injury and can be a major cause of low back pain. Restoring good posture is a key component to reducing the stress on your back.
Fewer headaches: When your shoulders slouch forward your upper back and neck muscles have to work over time. If this poor posture persists, the muscles will get increasingly tight and begin to spasm. Some of these muscles attach to the back of your head so when they begin to get tight and spasm, it places greater tension on your head. This ultimately results in significant headaches. Eliminating your shoulder slouch and improving your posture will rebalance your upper back and neck muscles and get rid of your headaches.
Increased energy levels: When the body is in proper alignment, your muscles are balanced and work much more efficiently. More work can be done with less energy thereby reducing fatigue and increasing your energy levels.
Appear taller: When you hunch over or slouch, you immediately lose inches off of your height. The good news is that by restoring good posture, you can increase your height and improve the way you look in a relatively short period of time.
Look skinnier: When your body slouches, your shoulders sag and your stomach is pushed outwards. This can make you look heavier than you actually are. Improving your posture eliminates this stomach pooch and can make you look 10 pounds thinner.
Improves your mood: The mind and body are deeply connected. According to research scientists, people feeling depressed will likely be slouched over at the neck and shoulders with the head looking down. Erik Peper, a professor of Psychology at San Francisco State University found that sitting with poor posture in a collapsed, helpless position makes it easier for negative thoughts and memories to appear in the mind. He also found that sitting with good posture in an upright, powerful position makes it easier for letting empowering thoughts and memories take over the mind. If you are feeling sad or depressed, you might want to pay close attention to improving your posture.
Increased self-confidence: People who maintain good posture look and feel quite confident when compared to those with bad posture. Maintaining good posture makes you look powerful and projects an air of greater authority over others.
Increased lung capacity: Several studies have reported that a slumped, poor posture significantly reduces lung capacity. With poor posture your head and shoulders are slouched forward causing your chest muscles to tighten. It also results in poor expansion of your diaphragm. By improving your posture you allow greater expansion of your chest cavity and diaphragm which dramatically improves air flow and oxygenation.
Improved digestion: Similar to the effects on your chest cavity, rounded shoulders and a head forward position can compress your abdominal organs and contribute to poor digestion. Your abdominal organs need plenty of room to move and digest your food. By restoring good posture you decompress your abdomen and create optimal space for the stomach and intestines to function properly.
Decreased abnormal wearing of your joint surfaces: The primarily stabilizing joints in your spine are called facet joints. Improper posture places significant stress on these facet joints and over time can lead to abnormal wear and tear. This can lead to arthritis in these joints which can contribute to pain. By improving and restoring good posture you can reduce the stress and strain on the joints of your spine and decrease the risk of abnormal wear and tear.

Get the Str8back Posture Corrector

The Str8back Posture Corrector is a fantastic training aid that will help you restore proper posture and experience the 10 health benefits of good posture.