Why Posture Matters

“Stand up straight!” “Sit up straight!” “Quit slouching!” “Do you want a hunchback? Stand up!”

Sound familiar? You probably heard these commands over and over as a kid and maybe, even as an adult, still have to deal with them. This is because, as annoying as it is to be yelled at to “sit up straight”, practicing good posture is good for your health.

Proper posture really isn’t that hard:

1. Keep your back straight—pretend there is a string attached to the back of your head, right where it starts to round downward and it is pulling you upwards…sort of like a marionette.

2. Tilt your chin up just a tiny bit—not a lot, maybe a degree or two above keeping your head perfectly straight.

3. Roll your shoulders back and down. Pretend there are clocks facing outward from your shoulders. Rotate your shoulders back and down. Pretend a clock is facing outward from each shoulder. Rotate your left shoulder back and down into the 4:30 position on the left and 7:30 on the right. This is going to “puff out” your chest a little bit but that’s a good thing.

4. Pull your stomach in slightly.

5. When sitting, sit forward enough on the chair (or back enough on the chair) so that your feet rest comfortably and completely flat on the floor.

It might take a while to make this posture a habit. Slumping backward into a slouch, particularly while doing something passive just feels so easy. Still, it’s worth doing the work. If you have to, you can invest in a few tools to help you train your body. For example, those exam stools with back pieces that sit low against your spine—they’re great for training.

You might also try doing some regular exercise to help get your muscles in shape so that practicing posture doesn’t exhaust you over the course of the day. Strength and core training are good when you want to have an easier time with your posture. Bikram yoga (or any type of yoga, really) is another.

The fact is that practicing proper posture is good for your health:

Proper posture burns calories because it takes energy to hold your muscles up during the day. It’s a slow burn, sure, but it’s a burn nonetheless.

Proper posture relieves pressure on your internal organs which helps improve their function. This reduces your chance of developing an illness or of running into complications with your stomach, your bladder, your kidneys, etc.

Practicing good posture improves your appearance. It’s true! Holding yourself up and carrying yourself properly draws attention away from flaws that might have made you self conscious before.

Good posture helps you improve your breathing. It forces you to breathe through your “gut” (your diaphragm) which improves lung function and capacity.

Because your muscles aren’t compromised and you can breathe easier, blood and oxygen are flowing through your body easier and that helps improve your mental function as well as your physical function.

So, why are you still slouched there, chin in hand, reading this? Sit up!

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