1. Breathing and stress. When you stand up tall as opposed to slouching, you reduce the pressure on the diaphragm muscle at the base of your lungs. And as I blogged last week, a well-functioning diaphragm allows you to get better gas exchange (exchanging used air, high in carbon dioxide, for new, oxygen-rich air) which feeds your heart, brain and muscles, thus reducing your stress levels.
2. Improved digestion. Not only does standing or sitting tall reduce pressure on the diaphragm — it also reduces stress on your stomach and intestine, allowing it to function better. This can help with issues from acid reflux to constipation to IBS.
3. Healthier joints. The taller and straighter you stand and sit, the better your alignment. This means you will be bearing weight through the correct part of your joint cartilage, from your ankles up to your neck. In turn, this allows for better nutrition of the joint, and thus a reduced risk of problems from arthritis and worn-out ligaments.
4. Healthier spine. Having a well-stacked spine means that the gravitational forces going through your spinal discs, and the pulling forces through your spinal ligaments, will be evenly distributed, which is important for optimal spine health.
5. More efficient muscles. When your weight is optimally distributed, your muscles are better-primed to work efficiently. This means that you are more likely to get good muscle balance as your core muscles and your power muscles fire harmoniously to control and move your body through space.
6. Image projection. Studies have shown that we perceive people with good posture as being slimmer, taller and more confident and attractive! What’s not to love?
Want to know how good (or bad) your posture is? Contact us on 0207 175 0150 and book a physio assessment! Want to improve your posture? Have a look at our YouTube video: The Guide to Great Posture!