If you suffer from headaches, you need to read this…

In previous blog posts I have explored the following reasons for not slouching

• Part 1 - High BP
• Part 2 - Heartburn
• Part 3 - Sad and Shy

So finally I would like to focus on how slouching affects your breathing. You’ll notice that people don’t sigh when they sit slumped — they have to sit up to take a deep breath,’ observes Professor Stephen Spiro of the British  Lung Foundation. ‘That’s because the lungs work best when we’re vertical. If you’re slumped forward you don’t fully breathe and ventilate the lungs, because they’re compressed and the diaphragm is coming up into the chest — so you won’t breathe as easily and efficiently.’ This can cause particular breathing problems for anyone with asthma or lung disease. ‘If you’re an asthmatic you probably don’t have bad posture because people are quite clever at correcting themselves,’ says Professor Spiro. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo adds that slumping can mean less oxygen gets to the brain. ‘Slumped or C-shaped people complain of being tired and fatigued all the time and it’s because the lungs are squashed and cannot get enough air in, and the brain needs plenty of oxygen to function at its best.’ In addition, if you slumped you are breath with be short and shallow from your upper chest.  In order to relax and digest food your body needs the parasympathetic nervous system to be dominant.  A quick way to do this is to sit up right and take deep breaths and this simulates the parasympathetic system.  So slumping may be contributing to you feeling anxious and finding it hard to relax and switch off when you leave work!

We all know we need to maintain good posture, but what exactly is good standing posture? Good standing posture When standing, keep these tips in mind:

• Keep your shoulders back and relaxed.
• Pull in your abdomen.
• Keep your feet about hip distance apart.
• Balance your weight evenly on both feet.
• Let your hands hang naturally at your sides.

Try not to tilt your head forward, backward or sideways, and make sure your knees are relaxed — not locked.

Take the wall test

To test your standing posture, take the wall test. Stand with your head, shoulder blades and buttocks touching a wall, and have your heels about 2 to 4 inches (about 5 to 10 centimeters) away from the wall. Reach back and slide your hand behind the curve in your lower back, with your palm flat against the wall. Ideally, you'll feel about one hand's thickness of space between your back and the wall. If there's too much space, tighten your abdominal muscles to flatten the curve in your back. If there's too little space, arch your back so that your hand fits comfortably behind you. Walk away from the wall while maintaining this posture. Keep it up throughout your daily activities.

Check out your reflection

To see if you're keeping your shoulders straight, stand in front of a mirror. Aim to keep your shoulders square and relaxed.

It all adds up

Although good posture should be natural, you might feel wooden or stiff at first if you've forgotten the sensation of standing up straight. The key is to practice good posture all the time.  Remember its never to late to start practicing good posture.  

I recommend Cat-Cow a yoga posture where you move slowly between the two positions to increase your spine's flexibility. Yoga Cat-Cow Position Guidelines

1. Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders, and your knees directly under your hips. Point your fingertips to the top of your mat. Place your shins and knees hip-width apart. Center your head in a neutral position and soften your gaze downward.
2. Begin by moving into Cow Pose: Inhale as you drop your belly towards the mat. Lift your chin and chest, and gaze up toward the ceiling. Broaden across your shoulder blades and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
3. Next, move into Cat Pose: As you exhale, draw your belly to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling. The pose should look like a cat stretching its back.
4. Release the crown of your head toward the floor, but don't force your chin to your chest.
5. Inhale, coming back into Cow Pose, and then exhale as you return to Cat Pose.
6. Repeat 5-20 times, and then rest by sitting back on your heels with your torso upright.

Modifications & Variations Cat-Cow is a great pose for beginners — there should be no pain and very little discomfort (if any) when performed. If you need to modify the pose to make it more comfortable, try these simple changes to find a variation that works best for you: If your wrists hurt, place your forearms on the floor.

• Place your forearms on a bolster or stack of firm blankets to lift your torso more upright. This variation is especially useful for women who are pregnant.
• If your knee caps hurt, fold your mat or place a firm blanket under your knees.
• You can practice this pose throughout your day and while traveling. Sit in a chair (or airplane/bus seat) with your feet flat on the floor. Press your hands against a table, desk, or wall in front of you and perform the same spinal movements as in the regular pose.

Tips Practicing Cat-Cow can warm the body and prepare it for many activities. Keep the following information in mind when practicing this sequence:

• In Cat, let your head drop, releasing the back of your neck. Do not force your chin to your chest.
• Also in Cat, you can increase the abdominal massage and strengthening effects by drawing your belly button firmly in toward your spine
• In Cow, let the movement start from the tailbone. Allow your neck and head to be the very last part of the movement.
• Keep your shoulder blades broad and draw your shoulders away from your ears. This helps to protect your neck during the movements.
• Be aware of your breath and its coordination with your movements. Imagine your breath traveling up and down your spine as you inhale and exhale, like an ocean wave flowing onto the beach and retreating.

Find The Flow Bringing movement and flexibility to your spine helps your body to become more coordinated. Try a few slow rounds of Cat-Cow when you wake in the morning, or after sitting for a long period to increase the flexibility of your spine.