With people hunching over their laptops for the most part of the workday, they have been cursed with poor posture which in turn leads to back, neck and shoulder pain. Added to this, poor posture adds on to stress and anxiety because it tenses up the muscles which ultimately help to hold the body erect. Not only does it slow down blood supply and oxygen to the brain, but it also impairs the proper functioning of all the other organs of the body.
Why does this happen? Because people are constantly bending their spines at places they shouldn’t be bent all the time! Even when they try hard to relax the body and the brain, they aren’t able to do so because of their poor posture.
James Hewitt, in “The Complete Relaxation Book” explains the importance of posture in inducing mental and physical relaxation. He believes that our physical posture inevitably affects our mental well-being.
According to his studies, a rigid posture leads to the development of negative traits such as aggressiveness, excessive fear, and anger. In short, people with a rigid posture are unable to calm themselves down, even during non-threatening situations. Similarly, those who slouch all the time feel lethargic throughout the day. They feel weak and a sense of fatigue and lifelessness encapsulates them, ultimately affecting their personality.
However, people with a “poised posture” – the perfect posture – are cool-headed and are able to reach a state of relaxation easily. They don’t let external factors destroy their calm and they remain composed in all situations. Their mind, body, and soul are in harmony with each other.
The Poised Posture
Here, the spine is erect and healthy enough to hold the entire body upright. The neck and shoulder blades are relaxed. Perfect alignment is attained. The upper body is not bent in any way and this facilitates the free flow of oxygen to the different parts of the body.
How to have a “Poised Posture”?
Having a poised posture is crucial to meditation, yoga, and mindfulness which leads to mind and bodily relaxation. Here are some ways you can attain such a posture:
- Start training yourself to sit cross-legged on the floor more often. Do not compress your spine while doing so.
- Get a massage to loosen up all the tensed muscles. You can consider getting a massage chair or a full body massage with essential oils for the same. This will get rid of the knots on your back and will make it easier for you to stand/sit upright.
- Get an ergonomically-designed chair to correct your sitting posture.
- Imagine that there is a thread tied to the top of your head which is holding you upright. This will help to straighten up the spine but do not forget to relax your shoulders and neck.
- A good posture helps one to breathe better and it also ensures that the muscles, ligaments and the tendons are not being overworked. At the same time, it is integral to every relaxation technique out there. So make sure that you correct yours today!
How Massage Therapy Can Improve Your Posture?
Massage therapy has a very vital role in your health – for your relaxation as well as a physiotherapy remedy to improve your blood circulation & activate your stiff muscles.
This helps to improve your posture in a properly aligned manner. Poor posture limits the movement of the lungs and diaphragm, thus stifling breathing. A massage however will help to ease the upper body muscles, improving your posture, and clearing out any breathing obstructions. Reduces Risk Of Arthritis. With regular massage therapy, the danger of getting arthritis is also reduced.