When you think of posture, do you associate it with ease or effort?
‘Good posture’ is actually about reducing the work load of your muscles by stacking the weight of your head so it is supported from underneath by the bones of your spine sitting directly on top of each other, so that the surrounding musculature isn’t engaged in holding you upright; allowing your bones to do what they do best and leaving your muscles free to move.
Why then do so many people feel like going from a slump to a more upright position such hard work?
‘Good posture’ is actually about reducing the work load of your muscles by stacking the weight of your head so it is supported from underneath by the bones of your spine sitting directly on top of each other, so that the surrounding musculature isn’t engaged in holding you upright; allowing your bones to do what they do best and leaving your muscles free to move.
Why then do so many people feel like going from a slump to a more upright position such hard work?
Our body adapts to what is required of it and the muscles learn to hold and support you in whatever configuration is most often required - they get good at holding you there. So when you do decide to shift to a more ergonomically supported way of sitting or standing, initially it might feel like ‘work’ to be there. Massage can give you a head start at releasing that habitual tension to help it feel far more possible and natural to have your head balanced over your pelvis supported by your spine. When your muscles are no longer constantly engaged in holding you upright, the energy to sustain that contraction is now freely available to be used elsewhere in your body and life, and you won’t feel so tired by the end of the day.
Tip to Try - a great way of resetting your muscle tonus at the end of the day, to help them switch off and return to their neutral resting length, is to simply lie down on your back for 5mins and close your eyes, allowing your muscles to surrender to gravity and sink into the floor. This gives your body a chance to relax and unwind, and your mind a chance to connect and touch base with yourself. If you do that when you first come home, you are likely to be far more re-charged to enjoy the rest of your evening. Notice which parts of your body has more tension to let go of – very valuable clues for what areas may be under strain throughout your day.
Tip to Try - a great way of resetting your muscle tonus at the end of the day, to help them switch off and return to their neutral resting length, is to simply lie down on your back for 5mins and close your eyes, allowing your muscles to surrender to gravity and sink into the floor. This gives your body a chance to relax and unwind, and your mind a chance to connect and touch base with yourself. If you do that when you first come home, you are likely to be far more re-charged to enjoy the rest of your evening. Notice which parts of your body has more tension to let go of – very valuable clues for what areas may be under strain throughout your day.
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