Practicing yoga can help better your posture
Maintaining a good posture is vital for good health and longevity. Sitting or standing in bad postures for prolonged periods can cause numerous disorders in the body. Bad posture might cause complications in your joints, muscles, lungs, heart, and other parts of the body.
Although various factors influence your posture and overall joints, bones, and muscle health, it can be bettered through gradual lifestyle changes. In this article, we discuss some easy-to-follow tips that can help you better your posture.
10 tips to help you better your posture:
Sit straight
Although it is a given, keep a close eye on how you sit. Practice sitting straight on your back. You can achieve this by sitting with your feet on the floor and giving your back enough rest.
Try yoga
Yoga is a great way to better posture as well as better bones, joints, and muscle health. Yoga increases flexibility and has also been proven to reduce joint pain. It is a great workout routine for anyone as the intensity levels can be adjusted according to one's convenience.
Eat more nutrients
What we eat affects our energy levels and the overall health of bones, joints, and muscles. All of these factors directly influence your posture. Eating foods rich in calcium, protein, and other nutrients ensures your bone and muscles stay intact, promoting better posture.
String trick
While standing, make sure your legs are farther apart from your shoulders. The string trick suggests imaging you are being pulled by a string from both of your shoulders. Under this scenario, you make sure while you stand your shoulders and back stay straight as if you are being pulled upwards.
Manage weight
One of the reasons for your bad posture maybe your weight. Being overweight or obese adds strain and pressure to your bones. This might make it difficult for your body to hold in a good posture. Furthermore, being overweight might make you more prone to other disorders that cause bad posture.
Change positions
Sitting in the same position, angle or even spot can poorly affect your posture. Sitting in the same position for long hours can cause strain to your back, this might force you to sit in a bad posture or cause other back-related issues.
Stretch
Stretching throughout the day can ease your body of the pain it may have endured throughout the day due to various activities. Stretching ensures better flexibility in the body which reduces the chances of diseases and bad posture.
Avoid sitting cross-legged
When we sit cross-legged on chairs, sofas, etc. it automatically makes us bend forwards while sitting. Staying in this position for ours can further worsen the posture and even make you habituated to it. Avoid seatings that require you to cross your legs and instead opt for ones that can easily let you rest your feet on the floor.
Chin-up
Chin-up is another way to better posture and promotes happy moods. Our mood might also influence how we choose to sit. Feeling tired or low can cause you to sit bending downwards. Trying to keep your chin up and shoulders straight can encourage you to better your posture throughout the day.
Sleep smartly
We spend a big majority of our time sleeping. This means it has a very integral role to play in our posture. An easy way to avoid bad posture is to opt for firm mattresses and thin pillows. Firm mattresses ensure your back stays straight throughout the night. Along with this, avoiding big pillows can help reduce your chances of developing back and neck pain.
In conclusion, many elements influence your posture. Keeping a close eye on your diet, lifestyle, and workout routine can help you better your posture. Finally, it is a gradual process, and along with making the changes discussed above, we also encourage you to speak to a doctor if necessary. A health professional can better determine ways through which you can better your posture, keeping in mind various health factors.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.