Spinal care is like flossing; 5 minutes a day keeps the doctor away. Well, not really, but taking care of your spine on a regular basis, similarly to brushing and flossing your teeth, can help prevent injuries and degeneration in your spine. Poor posture is one of the leading causes of degeneration and spinal changes as people age. Not only does poor posture put extra stress on your skeleton and muscles, it can also affect your mood, immune system, and focus. Take a second now to re-position your head over your shoulders and pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
Think of it this way: the average human head weighs about 12-14lbs (5-7 kg). Grab something about that weight and hold it close to your body. Not too hard, right? Now hold it out away from your body. That gets pretty tough pretty fast. When your head is not properly positioned over the rest of your spine, your neck muscles are having to carry the extra weight of your head. Because of gravity and physics, this means your head could have a gravitational pull of up to 60lbs (27kg)!
Being aware of you posture throughout the day can help decrease neck pain and headaches, clear brain fog, and wake you up without that fourth cup of coffee! Think about setting an alarm for once every hour or so to remind yourself to correct your posture and take some strain off your neck.
Think of it this way: the average human head weighs about 12-14lbs (5-7 kg). Grab something about that weight and hold it close to your body. Not too hard, right? Now hold it out away from your body. That gets pretty tough pretty fast. When your head is not properly positioned over the rest of your spine, your neck muscles are having to carry the extra weight of your head. Because of gravity and physics, this means your head could have a gravitational pull of up to 60lbs (27kg)!
Being aware of you posture throughout the day can help decrease neck pain and headaches, clear brain fog, and wake you up without that fourth cup of coffee! Think about setting an alarm for once every hour or so to remind yourself to correct your posture and take some strain off your neck.