By Kat Vranas
Did you know May is “Correct Your Posture Month?” Really. It’s a thing. Observed since 1959, the intent is to bring awareness about how posture can affect long-term health. Here’s the good, the bad and, of course, the ugly about your form.
The Good
Our bodies were designed to move around, to walk and stretch, not to sit still for hours at a time. There are plenty of benefits to improving your posture, such as reduced lower back pain, higher energy levels and increased lung capacity.
If you slouch, you may be compressing your body, leaving little room for comfortable breathing. Good posture increases blood flow, which can improve circulation and may even lead to increased energy levels!
The Bad
Bad posture can do a number on your body in the short and long term. Back pain is probably the most notable side effect of having continual poor posture. Pain in your neck or shoulders is often another indication you may need to work on your posture. Poor posture may even give you headaches by contracting the muscles on your neck leading to tension headaches.
The Ugly
Even worse than headaches are side effects, such as disturbed sleep, a lack of motivation and even poor digestion.
If you work an office job where you sit at a desk for most of the day, your posture may be compressing your organs after you eat lunch. You probably didn’t think about that (me neither). Take the opportunity to walk to the water cooler shortly after you return from lunch. The stretching and activity should aid digestion.
What can you do?
The internet is chock full of instructions about proper posture. Here’s an awesome visual aid about better ergonomics at work from our friends at Office Depot.
We also have a few tips and tricks to help your daily posture:
Keep it moving. Don’t sit still for longer than an hour without stretching, even if you just stand at your desk for a few moments.
Exercise. Building core strength can help you keep good posture throughout the workday. We recommend an actual gym workout, but, in a pinch, here are some desk exercising suggestions.
Mindful sitting. Keep your body aligned when sitting in an ergonomic office chair designed to help your posture.
NPP members can find a variety of ergonomic chairs to help keep your spine aligned in the office or at home.
NPP business members save on office supplies and thousands of other items at Office Depot and OfficeMax, including a variety of ergonomic chairs to help keep your spine aligned at work or at home. If your business is not already registered for NPP discounts, encourage your boss or office manager to join NPP for free. There’s no obligation to buy, but you’ll find plenty of discounts on products you use every day.
Discover what more than 300,000 NPP members already know. NPP helps business of all sizes (and their employees) save on brands such as Verizon, Sherwin-Williams, Airgas, Priceline and more.