How Good Posture Benefits You When You Age
August 29, 2009 by foynet
Filed under Anti-aging basics
Some people do not sit and stand correctly. In the end, they suffer from aches and pains all over their body. One specific area that suffers is your neck. Primarily, neck pain comes from pressure on the nerve that is usually a result of a misaligned spine.
Today, we see more people suffering from a misaligned neck posture. Why is it more rampant today that it was years back? One of the reasons is that more people are on computers for long hours. Many jobs now require you to be on a computer the whole day. Even those without desk jobs are on their computer for hours on end. Teenagers are also getting into computer games, and most of them are logged on as they compete with each other online. As a result, many of them will feel the repercussions as they get older.
Driving is also another major cause. When driving, the majority of the people’s heads drift forward. Some are affected worse than others. Other examples include: poor sleeping habits, holding a phone on your shoulder for long periods, or reading with your head down.
Here’s how to improve your neck posture so that you don’t suffer any pain as you get older:
- Postural exercises for the neck
- Eliminating bad posture as much as possible
- A good support neck pillow for sleeping.
All these combined help correct and maintain the proper alignment of the spine. Your spine is ergonomically built to withstand pressure. It is at its strongest position with proper alignment. Not only because it is the most beneficial for strength, it will also do you good as you age.
So what are the most helpful exercises? Head retractions are ideal. All you need to do is pretend that your head is on a sliding track and pull your head back keeping it level. For example, sit fully back against a wall and pull your head straight back without tilting or extending. Also eliminate forward head posture when you can. You feel the strain in the muscles at the back of your neck when you tilt forward. Read with books propped up against something and take periodic breaks. Sit up straighter and keep your chin up.
At night, you also need to find ways to protect yourself from poor posture. Not only will this help ease muscle pains when you wake up, you can also sleep better. Use a good support pillow to correct neck posture while sleeping comfortably. Stay away from sleeping on your tummy because you are forced your head to tilt extremely to the side just so you can breathe properly.
Remember, we are all headed to that age where we are bound to feel aches and pains on a daily basis. What you do when you are young helps a lot in alleviating and avoiding these things. When you work on your posture early on in life, you can be just as healthy and active when you grow old. You can still walk, run, and sit just as easily as you did years before.
Change Your Posture as You Age
August 17, 2009 by foynet
Filed under Anti-aging basics
Posture has everything to do with the pains you’ll experience as you grow older. Today’s generation is usually forced to go against how they should sit or stand. You have to constantly tilt your head forward when working on the computer and you sometimes need to look down when reading a book.
Your neck and back usually pay the price for poor posture. You strain your muscles throughout the day, even without noticing. One day, you just realize that your body hurts in places you’ve never realized could hurt. You complain about old age and then continue to do nothing about it. Yes, age may be a factor, but that does not necessarily mean that you cannot do anything about it. Every problem has a solution; you just need to know where to look.
Log online, purchase books, and collect research materials related to good posture. Just so you’ll be further inspired, start by taking a closer look at the rewards you’ll reap. First of which is that you will look thinner with good posture. If you don’t believe this, try standing straight. See your waistline decrease? That’s because slouching somewhat gathers all the fat in one place, and that is your stomach. See all the love handles when you slouch? That’s exactly what is does for your body! To be able to stand properly, you need to imagine as if a string on the ceiling was lifting your rib cage. When your rib cage is lifted slightly, you’ll definitely see an inch or two disappear around from your waist.
Of course, probably the greatest benefit you’ll enjoy is looking younger than your age. People just normally assume that those with better posture are the ones who are younger. Try to take a couple of pictures of yourself. Slump your shoulders in one shot and stand straight in the other. Ask the people’s opinions. They’ll definitely think that you look better if you carry yourself with grace and poise. Nothing ages you faster than hunching your shoulders downwards. A strong and straight spine makes you look as if you are still at the prime of your life. Not only will slouching make you look older, you will also look shorter.
Studies have revealed that a person with good posture exudes strength and liveliness. People just normally assume that those who slouch are just naturally more insecure. You tell the world a lot about your emotions and your perception of yourself by the way you carry your body. Ask yourself, if you had to approach a person in the crowd, wouldn’t you pick the one who radiates confidence and vitality?
Good posture shows the people that you are proud of who you are and what you are capable of. Poor posture is simply going against nature. You are telling your joints to position themselves in such a way that they will be positioned awkwardly within your body. This causes injury and you will definitely feel it one day if you are not smart enough to do something about it. Enjoy your life and improve your body through better posture. It may feel awkward at first, but you will eventually get the hang of it. Once it is second-nature to you, you’ll see just how much trouble you’ve saved yourself.
Benefits of a Better Posture
July 29, 2009 by foynet
Filed under Anti-aging basics
There are many reasons behind bad postures. In the past, it was the result of hard manual labor. Farmers and slaves carried heavy loads and spent most of their day bowing down. Because technology was not always available to the masses, people had to do practically everything the hard way. They had to walk for miles just to buy an item in the local market and had to carry all their purchases on their backs after.
Today, when things should have gotten better, another set of reasons arose. People just spend too much time hunched right in front of their computers. They have to buy all their needs, and though transportation is available, the bags are heavier because of the longer list of needs. Not to mention the diets! The daily fare usually includes foods with more sugar and fat in them. These things change the body’s makeup by lessening the strength while increasing the person’s weight. And because the average lifespan of a person has increased, this simply means that you have more chances of ruining your posture.
Just get the glimpse of its end result in a community center for seniors. Most of the older generation use canes, walkers, and wheelchairs to get from point A to point B. Obviously, the abundance of chronic pain doesn’t help in the general mood. But then again, who can blame them? It’s difficult to remain pleasant when you are in constant pain.
Poor posture also affects the person’s internal organs. Your body simple cannot function well if the organs aren’t aligned properly. Face it, you can only improve your health and your appearance by improving your posture. The good news is that even after years of bad posture, you can always do something about it. You can turn things around if you just become more aware and conscious of strengthening your muscles so that you can adjust your body’s alignment.
Here are just some of the benefits you’ll reap:
- 1. You look thinner if you know how to stand and sit properly. Slouching causes your tummy to bulge. Just know that you don’t want this and that you have to keep your chest forward and your stomach in as you move around.
- 2. You can look younger with proper posture. People who stand up straight just seem more attractive because they look more comfortable in their skin. A strong, straight spine portrays youth and vigor. Moreover, you just look taller if you keep your shoulders straight and your head up.
- 3. Good posture is connected to good health. People can tell a lot about you with just the way you carry yourself. If you sit, stand, and walk properly, you will be perceived as a person who feels good about their body inside and out.
Just know that when you follow the way your body is supposed to form, you will benefit a lot from it. When you go against nature, you end up paying the price in the end. And although this can be difficult, especially if you’ve spent most of your life slouching, just keep reminding yourself to do it. Pretty soon, this will become second-nature to you.
