IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE - AND YOUR HEALTH

PAUSE for a moment and without adjusting your body in any way, notice your posture.

Are you slouching? Are your shoulders hunched forward? Is your neck pushed forward slightly and your head tilted down? It's easy to forget to pay attention to your posture when you're caught up in everything you have to get done in the day.

If your job keeps you deskbound you probably know all about the back and shoulder problems that come with sitting hunched in front of a laptop all day.

But bad posture isn't only associated with neck, shoulder and back pain. It can also have other negative effects on your health, including shallow breathing, heartburn, constipation, incontinence and headaches.

Here are some surprising health benefits of improving your posture, and things you can do so that you can sit pretty and stand tall.

DID YOU KNOW?

Your spine has three natural curves - at your neck, mid-back and lower back. Correct posture should maintain these curves, but not increase them.

THE BENEFITS OF GOOD POSTURE

You'll breathe better

When you sit and stand correctly, there's less pressure on your diaphragm, which is the dome-shaped muscle below your lungs that helps you inhale and exhale.

Hunching your shoulders and slouching constricts your diaphragm, resulting in shallow breathing.

An upright spine with shoulders back and your chest open makes it easier to take deep breaths.

It helps keep your blood sugar stable

Sitting for prolonged periods, particularly if your posture is bad, doesn't only put strain on your joints and ligaments, it also increases your risk of diabetes and obesity.

"When you sit for extended periods, your muscles are inactive, which can lead to decreased insulin sensitivity and impaired glucose metabolism," says Dr Constant Grové, a chiropractor from Cape Town.