HOW DOES YOUR POSTURE AFFECT YOU?

Your posture is basically how you hold your body when you’re sitting, standing or walking.

Most times, when people are told to work on their posture, they assume that they are expected to strike difficult poses or strut like a hen.

However, when your parents asked you to stop slouching, they were not trying to make life difficult for you- the majority of them didn’t want you growing up looking like a loser, others were concerned that you’d end up with a bad back.

Based on the premises I’d like to draw out two very salient points on why you should develop a good posture:

1. Your health just might be at risk.
2. People read you and make a conclusion about you based on how you stand, sit and walk.


HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Effects on the spinal cord
Remember Integrated Science class when our teachers told us that the spinal cord was like an “s” curve? They weren’t far from the truth. The spinal cord isn’t straight and that accounts for the curves in our backs.

There are three important spinal curves: one in your neck, one in your upper-to-mid-back, and one in your lower back. Any posture that straightens a curve in your back can cause damage over time.

Naturally, changing your spine’s natural curves would cause back pain. The pain is commonly felt in the lower back. Over time, poor posture can lead to a loss of function and even deformity in the spine.


Effects on Digestion and Respiration
Slumping can cause the spaces in the abdomen to be compressed, thereby squeezing the internal organs and inadvertently complicating the digestion process.

This is why proper dining etiquette is often emphasized. Proper digestion requires proper posture.

Bad posture reduces the oxygen that gets to your tissues, it impairs circulation, which makes it harder for your heart to do its important work.


SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The Winner Or The Loser
What slouching and keeping your head down does to you is that you end up looking like you’ve lost the battle – whatever battle there might be- even if there isn’t one. You look like you are weak and lack confidence.

Standing tall is always a winning posture. Even during times when you don't feel like one, you're already a winner just because you stood tall.

In Control Or Not
When you sit or stand, your composure can be detected – you can come off as assertive and in control- which makes people eager to listen to you,  or you can come off as scattered, flustered and disoriented - which may be your current state but the world should never see that.

No matter what is going on internally, you have the power to look composed and assertive.

Royalty Or Commoner
The truth hurts and I’m really not trying to bruise anyone’s ego but if you have developed the habit of throwing yourself all over the place- one leg here, the other there ( and this includes the men too) you need to stop.

Like my friend would say “not every time relaxation mode” there has to be a difference between when you’re in your room and when you are in front of people.

Be regal, irrespective of your background. Your presence can command a certain level of awe.

You can be treated like a king or Queen- which you are indeed!

Respectable Or Despicable
Sometimes, your posture is the reason why some people suddenly develop an accent!  They see you as powerful and respectable and before they approach you, they want to "package themselves". They want to help you with your bag/briefcase. Talk about the power posture yeah?

In contrast, sometimes, your posture is the reason people don’t take you seriously, its why some people talk down at you or think they can engage you in silly or lewd jokes.

Men and women have certain posture rules that differ, but the general rules are:

1. Keep your back straight.
2. Keep your shoulders squared.
3. Keep your chin up.

Your posture is a major feature of your image. Take charge of it today.

Photo credit: Christina Morillo