5 Reasons to Consider Your Posture
Steven Weiniger
Your posture impacts more than just your spine; it has a ripple effect on your entire life! Look around and you'll find most people with their heads down looking at their smart devices—surfing the web, texting, reading Facebook, checking e-mail— and according to posture and antiaging expert Dr. Steven Weiniger, your tech addiction is not just taking its toll on your posture, but it's also hurting your health!
Flere are five reasons to work on improving your posture:
1 You'll have a better outlook on life. Posture directly affects your mood. "Studies have shown that people's attitudes about their lives directly correlate to their posture/' says Weiniger. When you think of people who are sad, are they standing tall or are they looking at the ground? A good posture makes you feel more confident and energetic, which in turn makes you a happier you!
“Posture directly affects your mood. ”
2 Improve sleep quality. Did you know that sleep apnea is linked directly to forward head posture? Sleep apnea occurs when a person stops breathing for more than five instances per hour while asleep, which impacts wakefulness during the day and can cause more serious problems, including risk of brain damage and even death.
"When your head goes forward, that closes off your airway and you can't breathe as well/' says Weiniger. In addition to working actively on posture while you're awake, changing your sleep habits makes a big difference. Weiniger suggests investing in a supportive mattress and pillows that support the
neck, and don't push it too high and forward.
Also, if you sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs for added hip support, it will help make for a more restful sleep.
3 Set a good example. Whether or not you have kids of your own, you want to be a positive influence on younger people. Practicing good postural habits and standing straight is more effective than telling kids, "Don't slouch!"
Dr. Weiniger stresses that this generation of youth is the group most vulnerable to developing hunched posture and its connected health issues.
"Younger people are especially at risk because when you train a younger body to be folded over, the muscles and bones are growing with that flexed-forward posture. And the more
forward the posture is, the more the body has to work harder to do a seemingly simple thing of standing up straight."
4 Save money (and trips to the doctor!). Deskbound workers compose one of the largest demographics seen by wellness and pain management professionals. Many in the prime of their lives succumb to backache, neck pain, and muscle tension that comes from a nine-to-five office job.
Dr. Weiniger recommends looking at your work environment and makingsmall changes that will help relieve pain on the job. "Change your sitting and standing habits. Use an exercise ball at your desk, or put posture support on your office chair."
Being aware of posture and doing something to change it prevents future pain and injury, giving you
ÍÍ Dr. Weiniger stresses that this generation of youth is the group most vulnerable to developing hunched posture and its connected health issues.
more time and money to enjoy a happy, active life.
5 Standing taller helps you age better as well as live longer! Imagine what you want to look like when you're 80—bet that person isn't hunched over and moving around with a walker! When posture degenerates with age, the risk for falls, breathing problems, and higher blood pressure goes up.
"Literally, there's an increased risk of dying sooner!" warns Dr. Weiniger.
Dr. Weiniger tvrote the book on postureStand Taller-Live Longer: An AntiAging Strategy, designed the PostureZone® app, and created the Certified Posture Exercise Professional (CPEP) program that trains DCs to brand themselves as posture specialists with the StrongPosture® rehab exercise protocols. More info on PosturePractice. com.
