Your parents were right - Posture is Important!
“Sit up straight!” “Don’t slouch!” -
I’m sure we’ve all heard those admonishing words more than once from our mother when we were growing up. And most of us begrudgingly complied with her command having no concept of the anatomical and biomechanical rationale behind her persistent prodding. In fact she probably wasn’t aware of all the implications of poor posture herself! But somehow, some way your mother always seemed to know best.
Think about it. The first thing you notice about people is not their eyes, not their hair, not even their clothes. It’s their posture. And it screams messages about who they are. Someone who stands erect gives off an aura of pride and self-confidence, while someone who slumps and stoops looks like he’s ashamed to be taking up space.
Yet looks aren’t the best reason to improve your posture. Health is. What begins as merely an unsightly stance or carriage can lead to authentic health problems if not corrected.
But what is good posture anyway and why is it so important? Basically posture refers to the body’s alignment and positioning with respect to the ever-present force of gravity. Whether we are standing, sitting or lying down gravity exerts a force on our joints, ligaments and muscles. Good posture entails distributing the force of gravity through our body so no one structure is overstressed.
So, here are eight more reasons to have a ‘correct’ healthy posture:
1. Portrays a better, more confident image.
Good posture will boost self-confidence. Try this: take a deep breath and stand straight. Do you feel better? More confident?
Also look around a crowded dining area or cafeteria some time, and notice how many people are hunched over their meals. Then try to spot someone who’s sitting tall in their seat, raising their fork or spoon to their mouth instead of pitching forward to grab the next bite. Doesn’t that look more elegant? Which person looks poised and confident to you?
2. Breathing becomes easier and deeper.
Try this: sit down and bend over and try to breathe in. Notice how it is harder to breathe. This is an extreme example of how our muscles and tendons get over restricted and cause a lessening of depth and ease in breathing.
People are often asked to sit up straight. This rarely has permanent effect because by the time someone needs to be reminded to do so, their body has adapted to be more comfortable in the slouching position. When they attempt to sit up “straight” they actually tighten the already over-shortened frontal muscles and tendons and this causes restrictions in the ease of breathing volume; tightening these muscles even slightly to make oneself more erect causes tightness in the entire upper body and reduces the ease of deeper breathing.
We intuitively do not like this and soon adjust back to where it was easier to breathe. That is why most people that are advised to sit up straight, remain erect for only a few minutes before reverting to the former slouch where breathing is a little easier. Their breathing is still held back from being fully deep, easy and balanced. For them it becomes easier and more what they have become accustomed to.
Often what we perceive as satisfactory is a lack of adequate understanding.
3. Improves circulation and digestion.
Good posture increases lung capacity, aiding oxygen transport and nutrition around the body. Upright open posture also allows more room in the abdominal cavity, this improves your health by allowing your organs to function more easily.
4. Makes you look slimmer and younger.
When having a good posture you will instantly take off 3-5 lbs in your appearance. It will also make you look slimmer, younger and your clothes will look better.
5. Your voice will sound better.
If you maintain good posture when you speak, and are careful not to let your chest “collapse” as you exhale, your diaphragm will open, making your voice sound better.
6. Help your muscles and joints.
Good posture helps us keep bones and joints in correct alignment so that our muscles are used correctly, decreasing the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in degenerative arthritis and joint pain. It also reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, minimizing the likelihood of injury.
A good posture allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and, therefore, preventing muscle fatigue. It also helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain.
7. Change your frame of mind.
Posture also affects your frame of mind and your frame of mind can affect your posture. So, when you are well, feeling happy and on top of things, posture tends to be upright and open. In contrast, people who are depressed and in chronic pain, often sit or stand slumped.
Next time you feel depressed or you’re anxious about something try changing your posture, stand up straight and breath deeply. Good posture in sitting and standing makes it easier to breathe fully and naturally, helping both relaxation and concentration, many Eastern practices such as yoga and tai-chi work on posture.
8. Healthy spine
Correct posture is a simple but very important way to keep the many intricate structures in the back and spine healthy. Back support is especially important for people who spend many hours sitting in an office chair or standing throughout the day.
Not maintaining good posture and adequate back support can add strain to muscles and put stress on the spine. Over time, the stress of poor posture can change the anatomical characteristics of the spine, leading to the possibility of constricted blood vessels and nerves.
To achieve good posture you must make it a habit by keeping your shoulders back, abdomen pulled in, your head lifted and chin parallel to the ground. This won’t be easy if you are not used to it because you will have to build the muscles that keep your body in the correct position. It will take patience and practice. When you make a decision to work on your posture don’t expect it to happen overnight but rest assured it will improve and you will see and feel the difference.
So, what are you waiting for? Start improving your posture right now!
[via RirianProject]
译文:
拥有好姿态的8个理由
“坐直”“不要没精打采”
我确信在我们的成长过程中我们都不止一次听说过这样的劝告。我们中的大多数人小气的执行着她的指挥，对生物学结构和生物学基本原理没有任何的概念。事实上，她可能都没有意识到她自己的不良姿势造成的很大影响。但是，不知怎么，有一些方式对于你的母亲却是似曾相识。
试想，你注意到人们的第一件事不是人们的眼睛，也不是头发，更不是他们的衣服。是他们的姿势。它能表达一种信息，笔直的站着散发出一种自豪自信的光环。意气消沉的人佝偻着像很害羞去占领空间。
然后，外貌不是你改善你姿态的最好原因。健康才是。如果不好好改正，仅仅是因为难看的站立姿态就能引来真正的健康问题。
但是怎么样才是良好的姿态究竟为什么它那么重要呢？基本的姿态能带来身体的调整和无时不刻存在的重力的影响带来的定位。坐和躺都是有个重力作用于我们的关节，韧带和肌肉。好的姿势能使重力凭借我们的身体分布所以没人的结构是超应力的。
所以，这里有纠正健康姿势的八点原因：
1、更好的描述，面貌更有自信
好的姿势能增加自信。尝试一下：做个深呼吸，站直。你是否感觉更好？更有自信？
同样，环顾周围就餐或自助餐厅的拥挤人群一段时间，并且注意有多少人在他们伙食上是弯腰驼背。然后设法指出某个人，他能在座位上保持坐姿挺立，能举起他们的刀叉或汤匙送到嘴里而不是一口接一口塞到嘴里。难道这看起来不会更优雅吗？你觉得哪个人能看来沉着并有自信？
2、呼吸变的更容易更深
试着这样：坐下俯身，试着吸气。注意到这样呼吸是多么的困难。这对于我们的肌肉和腱克服限制是个极端的例子，引起了深呼吸减少和适应。
人们经常要被告诉说要坐直。在某个人需要被提醒去做这之前很少一直持续有效。他们的身体在无精打采下适应了更舒服的姿势，当他们试图笔直的坐下，实际上，他们前面的肌肉和腱已经收缩，这是呼吸节奏放松的原因。慢慢的加紧肌肉恰好使自己更笔直，能使整个上面肢体更坚固，减少轻松深呼吸。
我们直觉上不喜欢这样，慢慢的向更容易的呼吸方式调整。这就是为什么大多数人被建议坐直了，在回到没精打采的姿势前只需要保持直立几分钟 ，呼吸就会变的容易些。他们的呼吸仍然受到阻碍。因为这样它才变得更简单更适应。
我们经常为此被视为缺少充足的理解。
3、改善消化循环
好的姿态能增加肺活量，帮助氧气的运输和营养传遍周身。完全正直的姿态能使腹腔留有更多的空间。它能通过你的功能器官更好的改善你的健康。
4、使你看起来更苗条更年轻
当你拥有好的姿态时你将立刻在外表上呈现出减少了3到5磅。它能让你看起来更苗条，更年轻，你的衣服将看来更合身。
5、你的声音听起来更好
当你说话时如果你坚持好的姿态，当你呼气时当心不要让你的胸部塌陷，你的隔膜将打开，使你的声音听起来更好。
6、帮助你的肌肉和关节
好的姿态能帮助我们使我们的骨骼和关节有正确的调整，使我们的肌肉能正确的使用，减少关节表面不规则的磨损所导致的变性关节炎和关节疼痛。它也能减少韧带带动整个脊椎关节的压力，使受伤的可能性达到最小。
好的姿态能帮助肌肉更有效的工作，使身体消耗最少的能量，所以能预防肌肉疲劳。也能够防止肌肉劳损，过度混乱和肌肉疼痛。
7、改变你的心情
好的姿态能影响你的心情，你的心情也能影响你的姿态。所以，当你在某件事上感觉好和高兴的时候，姿势就会偏于完全的放开。相反，人们在失望和慢性疼痛下，经常意气消沉的坐着或站立着
下次当你感觉沮丧或者对于某件事着急的时候，试着改变你的姿态。站直深呼吸。坐立时好的姿态能使呼吸更彻底和自然。有助于放松和集中精神。许多在姿态上的东方的练习比如瑜伽和太极。
8、健康的脊柱
正确的姿态是简单的但是却是保持背部结构和脊柱健康的重要途径。后背的支持对于长期久坐办公室或者整天站着的人尤为重要。
不保持好的姿态，适度的后撑能增加肌肉的压力，把压力施加在脊柱上。久而久之，不良的姿势所带来的压力能改变脊柱生理结构特征。引起血管和神经的收缩。
要达到好的姿势你必须保持肩膀向后，腹部收紧，抬头，下巴与地面保持平行的习惯。这并不容易如果你不习惯这样，因为你必须让你的肌肉保持你的身体在正确的姿态下。这需要耐心和练习。当你对你的姿态作出决定了不要期望一夜发生，但是放心你将有所提高，你将会看见和感受到你的不同。
所以，还在犹豫什么？现在就开始改变你的姿态吧！