Paying attention to how you sit, especially when it comes to working for hours at a desk, can be instrumental in correcting your posture and preventing any long-term health issues. Because so many people have started to work from home daily, it is exponential to understand the necessity of using the proper tools and accessories, such as an ergonomic chair where you can sit comfortably without ruining your posture.
In light of this, we're going to talk about three common ways people sit that expose them to several debilitating health risks and how to take immediate action to correct their posture and optimise their well-being.
3 Incorrect Ways of Sitting
1. Hunched Forward on the Desk
If you work sitting down for hours on end, typing away at your laptop, you will quickly develop some habits that may keep deteriorating your posture. And you won't even know it until it's too late. One of these habits is hunching your back and neck forward while typing. This postural position will eventually weaken your upper back and cause your chest to tighten over time. If you continue sitting like that, you will develop a slew of problems, such as a stiff and aching neck, frequent tension headaches, shoulder pain, and back stiffness.
The same goes when you're using your smartphone. Your neck and upper back are hunched over and cause the same problems mentioned above. To correct your posture and avoid any long-term discomfort and pain, you should sit with your back straight and feet planted firmly on the floor. Your laptop or computer screen should preferably be at eye level so that you don't hunch over.
2. The Chair Slouch
Sitting on your office chair with a slouched or slumped lower back can lead to even more upper and lower back discomfort as well as neck pain. Plus, it is also one of the easiest postural habits that your body gets used to fairly quickly because it feels more comfortable. However, while slouching may not immediately seem to cause any pain or discomfort, sitting like that for extended periods will put a lot of stress and tension on the soft tissues and muscles of your neck and back, which in turn, will lead to frequent aches and pains.
The best way to get yourself out of this habit is to sit straight and as comfortably as you can. Plus, you should also have a firm back support cushion to maintain that natural arch in your mid-back. You should also start doing some exercises to strengthen your glutes and core.
3. Chin Poking
A lot of people habitually keep their chin hunched forward when looking at their screens or TVs, and they don't even know that they're doing it. Chin poking commonly occurs when you're sitting lower than you should while the TV or screen is set a bit higher than usual. It can also be a result of a hunched back because of sitting incorrectly.
The main reason why your body adapts to this position is that your back remains hunched and/or unsupported, which forces your neck to tilt downwards and your head upwards. To correct this posture, you need to start sitting up straight by maintaining the natural curvature of your back. Plus, your screen should always be at eye level.
Why Incorrect Sitting Positions Are Bad For Your Health
Causes More Fatigue
Sitting incorrectly for long periods, such as hunched or slouched, can end up expending a lot of your energy compared to sitting up straight. This is because you end up using and activating more muscles and ligaments to support your bad posture. This inadvertently leads to more fatigue and postural exhaustion.
Ineffective Breathing
One of the main reasons why you need to sit up straight is to help you breathe more effectively. You see, when you're slouched or hunched over, you're unnaturally curving your spine, misaligning it with your diaphragm, which is going to inhibit you from taking deep, concentrated breaths. Breathing in a bad posture is going to result in less oxygen reaching your vital organs, which is going to end up making you feel tired and groggy.
Really Bad Headaches
Hunching or leaning for prolonged periods can cause a pretty stiff neck. In the long run, your back muscles and bones try to compensate for this posture, which in turn, misaligns the natural curvature of your spine. As a result, your neck muscles begin to feel stiffer, causing frequent and very painful headaches or even migrains.
Bottom Line
So there you have it, an in-depth explanation of the types of sitting positions that may cause some pretty concerning health issues down the line and what to do about it.
