Headaches come and go for many reasons, however one that no one thinks about is posture.
Stop for a second and think about your posture while sitting down or standing up. How do you feel when you lie down? Do you feel pain in your neck and back? Maybe there are certain positions that you know will give you an immediate headache; just think about it for a while.
Poor posture creates muscle tension around the shoulders and neck, and can trigger headaches due to other reasons. When a person is stressed, the first things to be affected are posture and breathing. The individual loses alignment and breathes superficially and irregularly, thus, it is important for those who have a stressful routine to practice posture and breathing exercises.
If you don’t breathe, you die. Breathing keeps you alive, and it must be taken seriously. There is a proper way to breathe. Not many people breathe deeply and regularly every day, however this is basic to oxygenate the body, relieve tension, and get rid of headaches. Deep and slow breathing is very powerful; it relaxes the nervous system and translates into amazing physical and emotional benefits related to tension. Just try to slowly breathe in while you count to three and think of an issue in your life that is giving you headaches, then slowly breathe out while counting to three and imagine your worries melting with your breath. The mind is a powerful ally when combined with healthy breathing.
Good posture requires attention. You must be aware of the way you move, sit, stand, and even sleep. When muscles tense in your neck and back, you may be more sensitive to headaches. The solution is to be aware of how you hold your posture during daily activities, and to help you keep a good posture, follow this advice:
Do not sit or stand in the same position for a long time.
Sit up straight and use proper back supports for the lower back.
Use a headset if you have to be on the phone for a long time so that you don’t have to hold the phone between shoulder and head for too long.
Adjust the computer screen to avoid neck strain.
When lifting something heavy, use the strength of arms and legs, not the back.
By combining good posture habits with deep breathing routines you can alleviate headaches and even get rid of them for good. If you practice deep breathing regularly, eventually your body will learn to do it automatically and your life will be adjusted to this deeper level of peace. You can practice good posture and deep breathing anywhere, thus, you can get instant relief wherever you are.
At first, you can even get the help of a physical therapist or professional chiropractor to help you align your posture correctly, but you alone are responsible for making your life better and for enjoying a headache and pain free existence.
Author Resource:
Barry Lawrence has written several articles for TruComfort, a company that offers an ergonomically designed seat and back support system. For more great articles on how to reduce back pain, check out their blog at http://www.trucomfort.com/blog