How Table Posture Affects Your Health

Sitting with good posture may seem like a task, but overlooking its importance can lead to some serious health challenges. 

Especially when many of us are seated most of the day for work, the negative impact of poor posture can compound even further–leaving our bodies feeling achy and drained. 

Let’s take a look at a few of the ways that sitting posture can affect your overall health–some of them might even surprise you!

Neck Pain & Headaches

One of the first things you may notice after sitting with bad posture for a period of time is neck pain and headaches. 

When you aren’t sitting with good posture and have your head inclined more forward than it should be, you can put excess stress on your neck muscles. 

In turn, tighter neck muscles can shoot pain up the neck and into the head, which could lead to a lasting headache and an inflamed neck area. 

Breathing 

Another problem that comes from sitting with bad posture is that it can restrict your breathing, which can then negatively affect many aspects of your health. 

In order to breathe deeply and properly, your diaphragm needs to be able to expand and contract fully through the thoracic cavity with each breath. 

For optimal breathing efficacy, your body needs to be lengthened and properly aligned. This allows oxygen to flow freely through your body, which restores and rejuvenates your cells and keeps your vital organs healthy.

Fatigue & Energy Levels

A side effect of poor posture that you may not think of is that it can make you feel more tired and fatigued. 

This is because when your spine is misaligned and your body isn’t situated the way it’s meant to naturally, your muscles, ligaments, and joints have to work harder which can lead to fatigue just from sitting improperly. 

What Is Good Posture?

After all this discussion about the negative effects of poor posture, let’s do a quick review of how you should be sitting in order to optimize your health. 

Good posture includes: 

• Chin parallel to the floor

• Chest lifted and open

• Sitting on your sit bones, not with your pelvis tucked

• Shoulder blades back and down

• Back straight

If you’re not used to it, sitting with good posture may feel tiring at first which may seem counterintuitive, though it’s definitely worth the long-term health benefits that it brings. 

–

Written by Bailey Schramm in partnership with table base supplier for businesses and restaurants, TableBases.com