If you’re not careful to look after your spine, you could end up in some serious pain. So, to make sure your back is in the best possible shape, here are three simple ways you can protect your posture.
1. Adjust your sleeping position
How you position yourself at night could be doing your back more harm than good. So if you’re keen to look after your spine health, it’s worth knowing how you should be lying in bed. Firstly, you should make sure you always sleep with a pillow placed underneath your head, and it should be thick enough to allow your head to rest in a neutral position. When snoozing, it helps if your stance maintains the natural curve of your lower back. For example, if you tend to sleep on your back, you could try placing a pillow under your knees, or if you prefer to rest on your side, positioning the pillow between your legs could help. Simply tweaking your sleep stance could protect your back and spine.
If you struggle to adopt a different sleeping position, you could invest in a bed to help. Adjustable beds can be repositioned, allowing you to sleep more comfortably and helping you stick to a certain posture. For example, the models from bed specialist Adjustamatic can be manoeuvred to change the position of both the upper and lower body so that you can position them to suit you.
2. Sit up properly
Sitting up properly is key if you want to keep your posture in check. So whether you’re at your desk at the office or you’re lounging on the sofa at home, it’s extremely important that you make a conscious effort to position yourself in a way that won’t wreak havoc on your spine. At work, it can be easy to let your posture slip, especially if you’re sitting for long periods of time. By having a padded chair with lumbar support, you should be able to successfully protect your back from becoming sore and achey. You should also refrain from slouching or slumping into your chair and instead get into the habit of sitting up straight.
3. Stand tall
Making sure you stand tall is another way to protect your posture. Ideally, your whole body should be in alignment, with the natural curve of your spine, shoulders and neck being in line with your hips. To help you achieve the perfect posture, you could imagine that there is a piece of string attached to your head, pulling you up. It may also help you to keep your shoulders relaxed, your feet at approximately hip distance apart and pull your stomach in. Thinking tall and learning how to stand correctly could save you from a whole host of back-related problems further down the line.
By putting these three tips into practice, you’ll find it easier to to keep your back and spine feeling great.
