Who here recalls their parents yelling, “Mind your posture” “Sit up straight!” at a meal? Is it an issue for you? But, why? All it did was move your mouth farther away from your meal, right? Today, we’ll discuss how correcting your posture may benefit you bodily and emotionally. So, with your head up and shoulders back, let’s get started!
How should you sit?
The human body isn’t built to stoop. It may appear to be easy, but it really puts greater tension on your muscles and joints, especially those in your spine. Here’s what you should do when sitting:
- Your hips should be in contact with the seat of the chair.
- If you lack support for where your back curls in, sit back.
- Pull yourself up to maximum height, press your chest out, and then release slightly.
- Your feet should lie flat on the ground. with your knees at least higher than your hips. So, rest them on anything.
- Maintain an equal weight distribution, and avoid crossing your legs.
The Posture and Mood Connection
All of this benefits your back, neck, and shoulder blades, but what about the most crucial factor: the small universe inside your head? Psychologists have increasingly investigated the connection between posture and mood. It’s hardly surprising that individuals who are sad slump, but research found that even sitting up straight might make individuals feel more cheery and less tired. This isn’t everything. According to the researchers, an improved posture may even “make you feel prouder after an achievement, boost your dedication at a difficult task, and make you feel more comfortable in your thoughts.”
What does Psychology say?
But you may wonder how this works. A psychology professor explains that certain moods create a positive feedback loop. If you deceive yourself into believing more assuredly, you will become more trustworthy. He relates it to smiling: when you’re happy, you smile, but smiling itself may cause happiness. Standing tall is perceived as a dominant, strong stance in humans, just as it is in animals, thus straightening up causes your brain to move into a more assertive mindset.
How to Improve Your Posture?
So how can you enhance your posture? How do you get from stooping like Gollum to walking about like Gandalf? It’s all about developing your core strength.
Yoga is a fantastic approach to achieve this since it allows you to build muscle without the risk of injury. If yoga isn’t your thing, try some basic exercises while resting on your back. Stretching one leg at a time and bringing the other knee to your chest works both your abs and your back. Alternatively, you might perform crunches from this posture, being careful not to overstretch your neck. Core exercises like these will help you sit and stand straighter. And when it pertains to your psychological well-being, we all know how beneficial exercise can be.
My Ultimate Suggestion
Remember, as the researchers state, “Emotions and beliefs influence our posture and energy capabilities; alternatively, stance and energy impact our feelings and thoughts”. If you’re feeling down or unable to accomplish a task, lift yourself to your maximum height, draw your shoulders back, raise your head, and take a big breath. The world will feel a little brighter. Now that you’ve decided to work out to improve your posture, you’ll want to know when the optimal time to do so is. So fret not, I’ll have an entire answer to it in my next blog. See you!