Posture Power: Unveiling the Impact of Slouching on Your Well-being!
Sep 8, 2023 -- Posted by :It’s commonly known that slouching can contribute to both neck pain and headaches, but many don’t know that slouching can lead to other negative health consequences…
DIGESTION: Prolonged sitting is bad enough all by itself, but adding a slouched, slumped posture can distort or compromise the space that houses internal organs and negatively affect MANY vital functions, including digestion. This can lead to complaints including (but not limited to) discomfort, constipation, and heart burn.
BREATHING: Slouching can also reduce the space occupied by the lungs, hindering the ability to take in a deep breath and/or force air out of the lungs. This is the reason why good conductors have their musicians sit up straight with both feet on the floor (it’s not just to “look good”)!
MOOD: Did you know that sitting for seven or more hours per day increases the risk of depression by 47% compared with sitting for four hours a day or less? Our energy levels also decrease with prolonged poor posture, further complicating this negative side effect.
Work Efficiency: Researchers have noted that maintaining an upright posture heightens attentiveness, lessens weariness, and enhances efficiency. Furthermore, colleagues might infer that an individual slouched at their desk lacks drive, engagement, or at the very least, is fatigued. The popularity of sit/stand workstations is on the rise, especially with the availability of budget-friendly choices to convert a conventional desk into a standing one. Research indicates that having the flexibility to switch positions throughout the day enhances work performance. At-desk exercises, like chin retractions, contribute to the strengthening of deep neck flexor muscles, which aids in curbing unfavorable neck posture. Engaging in chest muscle stretches and maintaining a strong "core" through pelvic stabilization exercises are also EXCELLENT techniques for enhancing our seated posture!
VARICOSE VEINS: Prolonged sitting raises the risk for the formation of spider veins, especially in women, which can lead to varicose veins. Compression from sitting alters the flow of blood into the legs, and a proper fitting chair and sitting “correctly” can reduce the risk of developing circulatory dysfunction leading to varicosities or worse, blood clots.