The body talks. A person communicates in a lot of ways, non verbally: posture is one of them.
The other non-verbal ways you use to express yourself are:
Eye contact
In some situations, you might be avoidant of eye contact. Whether is due to a possible shyness or for the need of hiding something. Or maybe that creepy way of staring as if they want to suck out all your energy? And the nicest: that feeling you get when someone looks in your eyes and you feel like spiritual home as if that person sees your essence whats’s really important to you? Well, that’s body talk.
Facial expressions
No need to explore this much deeper: are those expressions you make when you taste something bitter when you’re dazzled with whatever makes you shine or when you get a wasp sting…
Gesture
The gestures you use when you talk. If you use a lot of your hands when speaking, to make a picture of what you’re saying… Of course, this varies a lot according to your cultural environment.
Posture
Do walk or stand straight? Do you walk as if you were carrying a burden? Your shoulders: are they curve inside, as if they were protecting the chest? Do your eyes show too much white In the lower part (that’s is a consequence of your posture, bent neck?
Vital Space
Your vital space is that physical distance that you need to have between you and the person. You know: when you don’t like that person because was “talking too close” and it’s annoying? Well, that’s your vital space being invaded. Some people do it because they are inconvenient and don’t know. Others do it because they want to be inconvenient, and intentional.
Touch
For instance: your hand-shake. Firm or loose. Or that touch-person who has to be touching you when they’re talking to you, to reinforce something or just to make sure that is real, so they have to touch. Might be inconvenient if there isn’t closeness. Not at all appropriate in some work environments, unless you are friends.
Voice
It’s not what you say, is how you say it: the tone, the cadence, or speed. That’s body talk too.
But the subject here between you and me is posture. And nothing else matters, for now.
Posture: why is it important?
1. The importance of posture in your mindset
According to the Cambridge Dictionary “Posture” is “the way in which someone usually holds their shoulders, neck, and back, or a particular position in which someone stands, sits, etc.”
But it also has a behavior meaning as in attitude.
One thing is for certain: your posture is all bout your spinal column. It sustains your limbs and keeps your head in its place. That said in an informal way.
In a neurological approach, the spinal column protects your bone marrow which is an important part of your central nervous system: it receives and sends back information to your brain.
Your posture is not just a physical matter. Is also behavioral.
“The physical state of the body affects embodied attitudes, which in turn affects behavior. And behavioral change involving the physical affects the body” as you may want to deepen a little in this article on BodyZone.com
In sum: your postures affect your attitude as well as your perception of things.
The contrary is also true: your mental attitude has its reflection in your body posture.
You walk straight, you feel more confident. You feel more confident you think clear and more optimistic: When you change your perception of things, more easily you find solutions for your challenges.
On the other way when you’re demotivated or mentally exhausted, your posture might exhibit some prostration, a little fallen, less energetic.
As Joseph Pilates (the genius who developed pilates exercises) would say: A man is as young as his spinal column.’ And though:
"If your spine is inflexible stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.
2. The Good Posture. Causes and consequences of a bad one
Simply put: you’ll find your right posture when you face your back to a wall.
- Your heels, shoulder blades, and head should be leaning against the wall;
- Shoulders relaxed down
- Chin parallel to the floor
Of course, during the day, you pose many body positions, habits that challenge your right posture. And in time, it can damage your spine, bringing chronic pain and possible deformations, more or less definitive. And other less obvious consequences, due mostly by slouching such as:
- Incontinence
- Constipation
- Gastric reflux and slow digestion
The most causes of bad posture are:
- Slouching while sitting down at the table or in front of the computer/laptop. You don’t put any pressure on abdominal muscles while sitting down
- Using your phone
- Improper sleeping position
- Feeling stressed
- Carrying a heavy bag
- Old age
- Being overweighted
- Using high heels frequently
Daily you submit your spine to some inevitable stress or just bad posture
Daily as well you should correct these physical stress to compensate your spine.
2. If you like to do things on your own: ways to compensate physical stress of the spine and correct posture
Your body is your package. It carries you wherever you want or needs to go.
Your body was made to move. Even when it looks still: the heart is pumping, blood is moving, cells are reproducing. So should your muscles. Once in a while.
I’m not talking here about being a bodybuilder. I’m just saying that when you move, your body responds “I like the way you move”. And pays you back in a good mood, more energy, clean skin, tonus on your muscles. It pays off a little exercise.
The best ones for the back? If you wanna do it a home?
Yoga and pilates. I'm a fan.
The plank is perfect (for a king of lazy people) and very effective.
Just count at least up to 30 times ( around 30 seconds, but the ideal would be to reach 60 seconds/1 minute)
The benefits?
- Strengthens the little muscles all along your spine, to support it
- Work your abs as well, as long you tighten them inside as you exhale the air.
Along with some exercise please check out this:
- Put a pillow between your legs, if you are a side sleeper, especially if you’re a woman: to balance the hips and diminish physical stress on your lower back as you sleep;
- Assure the firmness of your mattress and the size of your pillow (shouldn’t be too high either too short, to respect your neck curve and the size of your shoulders)
- You can also get those back correctors, to make sure your shoulder blades are always in the correct position. Use while you work out or at the computer if you work long hours in front of it.
- Assure the right height and back support of your working chair. Also, make sure the alignment between the computer and your eyes doesn’t force you to be with your neck bent.
Spinal Regards To You.
Because: your body talks
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/3-surprising-risks-of-poor-posture
https://www.bodyzone.com/posture-attitide-physical-behavioral/
