As you get older, you may start to wish you had listened to your parents all those times they told you to stand up straight. Having bad posture isn’t just a small nuisance; it can cause real health problems and make your later years much more difficult. If you want to know how to train yourself to have better posture, we have a few tips that you should keep in mind as you go through your day.
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Be Aware of When You Slouch
The first step to better posture is figuring out when your posture is at its worst. Slouching comes naturally to a lot of us, but noticing when you do it takes real mindfulness. Looking at our phones is a common time for people to start slouching, and usually, office chairs aren’t ergonomic enough to keep our backs in the right position for good posture. When you start to notice when you slouch the most, you can start to correct yourself.
Exercise Your Abs and Back
Exercising regularly is one of the best ways to train yourself to have better posture. Carrying more weight in your stomach area puts more pressure on your spine, which can cause you to slouch more often than you should. Having a strong core as well as working out your back muscles can counteract many years of poor posture. Every part of your body is important, though, so make sure you don’t focus on only those areas, or else you won’t get the full effect.
Don’t Ignore Lumbar Support
Nowadays, many of the seats we use often have built-in lumbar support to help our backs. However, many people ignore these supports and still slouch or bend in unnatural ways. Car seats and some office chairs take into account lumbar support more than other chairs. If you have the choice, always choose a seat that supports your back.
Sleep on a Firmer Mattress
Unfortunately, even sleeping how you normally do can affect your posture. One way to combat poor sleeping positions is to sleep on a firmer mattress. Mattresses that are too soft will often sink too deeply, causing a dip that your spine will then take the shape of. Firmer mattresses offer your back more support. If you combine a firm mattress with trying to sleep on your back more often than you sleep on your side or stomach, your back should start to hurt a little less.
