Do you have a family member or friend who would tell you not to slouch? Maybe you have somebody right now that is getting on you! Well, if you are slouching for long periods of time, you should tell them “thank you,” rather than becoming annoyed. This blog will go over slouching and nine other habits to be aware of.
Remember, occasionally doing the items on the list below is completely fine. Doing them frequently for longer periods of time is where they become an issue.
SLOUCHING.
Long periods of slouching are not really great for you. It stresses your low back into something called lumbar flexion, increases upper back into kyphosis, and places your neck into more lordosis. In more simple terms, it stresses the curves of your spine. I want to repeat this again…slouching at times throughout the day is fine, but doing it all day is a problem. The same can be said with trying to have “perfect” upright posture, If you try to stay in that posture all day, it’s going to start to hurt, and slouching will feel better. Your body needs to MOVE! Any static position for too long will be a problem.
WEARING A BACKPACK OR HEAVY PURSE/BAG ON ONE SHOULDER.
Take your backpack or bag/purse and put it on one side of your body. What muscles do you feel start to engage on the side of the bag/purse? What is tight? If you pay attention, there is an imbalance between the sides of your body. A lot of people will shrug their shoulder up to their ear to keep the purse or backpack on. Place that other strap on the other shoulder and even out the load! Especially if you’re carrying your bag/purse for a long period of time. Consider a cross-body bag that you can switch from side to side. Also, do you really need to carry ALL that weight in your bag? Consider cleaning out your bag every 2-3 months of items that may have accumulated that you don’t need in there anymore.
SITTING ON YOUR WALLET.
Do you always place your wallet in your right or left pocket? Do it now and sit on a harder surface. Can you feel one hip higher than the other? Not to mention the physical discomfort of all your cards and wallets pushing up into your bum cheek! What happens to your upper body and spine? It curves away from the side that is raised then the shoulders try to go towards that side.
RESTING YOUR CHIN ON YOUR HAND WITH A BENT ELBOW ON A TABLE.
Okay, with this one, not only are you going to look bored out of your mind, but you’re going to stress your neck with it getting forward. You’re also probably bending your neck to one side more than the other. . Switch to the other side sometimes or do it a little less.
HOLDING YOUR PHONE TO ONE SIDE OR BETWEEN YOUR EAR AND SHOULDER.
This one is a similar habit to the last one mentioned. If you bend your head to one side for 30 minutes during the time you are on the phone you could end up with a tighter neck on one side than the other. Consider a headpiece, especially for those of you that need to talk on the phone for work! The phone speaker is a nice option, too.
STANDING WITH A HIP JUTTED OUT/LEGS CROSSED.
Next time you are in a long line, stop and pay attention to your hips and legs. Are you shifting your weight to one side with one hip jutting out more than the other? When we do this a lot, we stretch the outside of the hip that is jetting out! When you cross your legs, you are always “pinching” the inside of one hip more than the other.
SITTING WITH YOUR LEGS CROSSED.
Like standing with your legs crossed, this also stretches and shortens certain structures more than others in your hips and legs. It can make the insides of your legs (adductors) tight! Then, when you get up from a long work day and go for a run or walk, they shouldn’t be that tight for that!
CHEWING ON ONE SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH.
A LOT of people do this but rarely think about it. Take a bite of an apple or something somewhat hard. What side do you go to? Consider if you are chewing gum for two hours. You might be chomping down on one side for the majority of it!
SLEEPING WITH YOUR ELBOWS BENT.
Do you ever wake up with a hand, if not both asleep? How much do you bend your elbows in your sleep? Do you sleep with your head resting on a bent elbow under it? It’s OK to do this sometimes, but if you do it a lot, the “asleep” feeling won’t necessarily get better.
USING YOUR DOMINANT LEG OR HAND SO, SO MUCH.
You’re walking up to a curb. Before you step up, notice which foot you want to place first. When you go up the stairs, which one do you start with? You’re on your bike at a stop sign. Which foot do you always push off with to get going again? You’re cooking. You’re stirring vigorously with the dominant hand. You could try and have fun and see what the opposite side is like! When we switch sides more often, this can challenge our bodies in really good ways. It makes us more adaptable!
So there they are…10 habits to be on the lookout for. There are a lot more, but let’s just start with these before we create some anal retentive stress in your life. Remember, it is OKAY TO DO THESE, JUST NOT ALL THE TIME. The purpose of talking about this is to bring more body awareness to your life. When we start to understand our bodies more, we start to become happier and healthier throughout life.