Remember the old days, back when you were a sullen teenager, and your mother kept telling you to stand up straight? Could she have been any more annoying? You had more important things on your mind than perfect posture.
But now that you’re older and wiser, and you’ve got those recurring headaches and that constant tension in your shoulders, you’re starting to think she might have been onto something. You think she might have been onto a lot of things.
The benefits of good posture are numerous, and it’s not too late to make some changes in the way you carry yourself.
10 Benefits of Good Posture
What are the benefits of good posture? Let's discuss some of the positives below!
Reduced Low Back Pain
When you slouch for a prolonged period of time (whether seated or standing), you put extra pressure and strain on the posterior spine. To counter this slouching effect and improve your posture, try exercises to strengthen your glutes and abdominals. Also, make sure to get up and move around every half hour or so.
Fewer Headaches
Tension in the back of the neck resulting from poor posture can lead to unwelcome headaches. Simple exercises to strengthen the neck muscles can help, but just as important are improvements to your ergonomic environment and posture. Are you staring down at your computer monitor or phone for hours on end? That’s a problem.
Increased Energy Levels
Carrying yourself with improperly aligned bones and joints make your muscles work harder, leading to fatigue and less energy. The solution? Better posture, but also allowing yourself to relax once in a while to give those muscles a break.
Reduced Shoulder and Neck Tension
Related to the “headache benefit” (above), shoulder and neck tension is annoying enough on its own. Neck stretches can help, along with various activities throughout the day, so that you’re not constantly looking in the same direction (there’s that phone and computer monitor again).
Better Joint Health
Uneven or crooked posture can force your joints into awkward positions, which can result in uneven wear over time. Strong core muscles will help keep things in proper alignment and give you more endurance to stay upright for longer periods of time.
Less Muscle Strain
Good posture allows your joints and muscles to work more efficiently. With poor posture, muscles become imbalanced, with some working harder than others to hold your position. The resulting muscle strain, unfortunately, can lead to even worse posture as you try to accommodate.
Improved Circulation and Digestion
A cramped forward posture compresses your midsection, creating challenges for the digestive and circulatory systems.
Better Form During Workouts
This is almost a chicken-and-egg benefit. It’s important to work out with good posture to help prevent injury. But we also improve posture and prevent injury by working out.
Stand Taller
Who doesn’t want to be just a little taller? Well, we all would be if only we stood up straight.
Increased Confidence
Science says it’s true. Your confidence will transform once you have started putting effort into your posture. Researchers found that people who sit up straight are more likely to believe thoughts they wrote down concerning whether they were qualified for a job.
How To Improve Your Posture
The best ways to fix your posture involve two main approaches:
- First, fix your environment. That likely means better ergonomics at work, so you don’t spend your day slouching into whatever it is you do.
- And second, you need to exercise and stretch for strong, balanced, supportive muscles and bones.
Strength Training is Critical to Good Posture
Our muscles hold us up. Strong muscles hold us up straighter and better and longer. It really is that simple. Exercising with the right posture and conditioning tools goes a long way toward getting all the benefits of good posture mentioned above. You can even use a stretching rope to improve your posture and increase your flexibility. Go ahead; it will make your mother happy.