Don't Slouch, These Are Tips To Improve Your Posture For Your Health

Illustration of man sitting hunched over (Jess Foami - Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Without realizing it, many people tend to bend over when sitting. This seems to be the most comfortable position. Because, when you are reminded to be upright, in a few moments you will return to bending over.

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are actually two postures. The first is static posture which refers to how your body is positioned while sitting, standing, and even sleeping.

On the other hand, there are dynamic postures that describe the position of the body when moving, such as walking or running.

So, what is good posture like?

Tyler R. Koski, MD, director of the Northwestern Medicine Spine Center, says that good posture can support joints, muscles, spine, tendons, and ligaments.

When you sit for too long, for example while working in front of a computer screen, it actually puts extra stress on certain parts of the body. Over time, this position can cause pain in the neck, shoulders, back, knees and hips.

Bad posture can also interfere with balance and harmony. It can even put pressure on the diaphragm and cause breathing problems.

"Bad posture is often a bad habit for a person," says Mike Murray, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Pennsylvania. "Then we continue to do this habit in many of our daily activities."

Maintaining good posture requires new habits and consistency.

You can start standing by supporting the curve of the spine. Understand that the spine has three natural curves, namely in the neck, middle of the back and lower back. Then good posture can maintain each of these curves.

When standing, your head should be positioned over your shoulders. Shoulders should be over your hips. According to the recommendations of the National Institutes of Health, if the head is raised, then the shoulders are positioned back and keep the neck and back straight.

Remember to keep the ear lobe parallel to the shoulder, this can help improve posture.

For the sitting position, make sure that your back is straight, your shoulders are slightly back, and your butt is touching the back of the chair. Even though it seems upright and stiff, keep your body relaxed so as not to cause tension.

If you are accustomed to crossing your legs, it's best to keep both feet on the floor. The habit of crossing your legs can change the position of your hips and affect the position of your lower back.

If you want to avoid sitting too long, try walking briskly every 30 minutes. At least, get up from the chair periodically and then move.

Not only sitting and standing, you can also improve your posture while sleeping. Have you ever experienced body aches plus back and neck pain when you wake up? This is the time for you to experiment with sleeping positions.

If you often have problems with low back pain, try sleeping on your back. If you have trouble sleeping, try on your side and on your stomach. However, if you have no health problems affecting your sleeping position or you are not experiencing body aches, you may be able to sleep in a comfortable position.

Regardless of the sleeping position you choose, don't forget to support your back. Align your hips with the shirt and position your neck in a neutral position.