Poor Posture, Poor Mood
By Dr. Todd Wendell of Ruby Mountain Chiropractic Center
As many people are finding themselves spending more time sitting slumped behind a screen or standing on their feet for hours on end without a break, paying attention to your posture is more important than ever. If you’ve never thought much about whether you’re sitting or standing stance is doing harm to your health, you might want to start before you find yourself in a bad mood.
Whenever you’re sitting at a computer, be conscious of your posture and keep your feet evenly planted on the ground.
HERE’S WHY:
• Each time we lean forward 60 degrees, the stress placed on our neck and head is increased dramatically. In fact for every inch the head shifts forward there is a 10 fold increase on the neck and muscles. This can lead to numbness, pain, pinched nerves and improper breathing—none of which are good for your mood! Stress on your neck can also lead to tense upper back and shoulder muscles, resulting in headaches which can be very frequent for some with poor posture.
• Your body language is closely related to posture. A slumped stance can make us appear sad, afraid or disinterested to peers leading to different treatment that can bring you down without even realizing it.
• In a 2015 article, researchers concluded that when facing a high stress situation, study participants with good posture maintained a higher self-esteem and mood, while those with poor posture experienced heightened stress and used negative words to describe their experience.
Dealing With Poor Posture? We Can Help
You can better your posture naturally through problem focused chiropractic care,
and custom fit exercises, stretches and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle.
Stop by the office or call me anytime and we can discuss if this is an option for you.
(775) 777-3033
Sources: The Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association