Look Taller, Thinner, and Younger in Seconds
As quick as you can say, "Stand up straight," you can change how people see you, going from having a belly pooch to appearing taller and slimmer. And those extra 5 pounds around your middle are not the only illusions of poor posture.
"If you slump when you sit, and hunch when you stand, you're signaling exhaustion, self-consciousness, poor muscle tone, and depression," says RealAge expert Amy Wechsler, MD, author of The Mind-Beauty Connection.
Slumping also makes it harder to breathe deeply, and the lack of oxygen makes you feel tired and weary. And new research shows hunching over can even make you more prone to digestive disorders like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). "Your posture influences how strong and flexible you'll be as you age, too," says Wechsler.
Standing tall doesn't mean forcing your chin in and thrusting your chest out like a military honor guard. The idea is to straighten up and relax. Here's a perfect-posture, head-to-pelvis checklist:
Imagine someone pulling a string up through your body, from your feet through your head, so everything lines up and no body part is resisting gravity.
Pull your shoulder blades slightly back toward each other and down, away from your ears.
Lift your chest up and out . . . gently.
Pull your head back just enough to keep it in line with your spine.
Tighten your abs as you inhale, and keep them engaged while you continue to breathe. (Yoga, Pilates, and crunches help strengthen abs so you can do this effortlessly.)
Position your pelvis to maintain the natural arch in your lower back.
Pull your belly button toward your spine without tilting your hips or losing that lower-back arch.
Working at a computer is no excuse for slumping. Here's how to keep your shoulders from sagging toward the keyboard:
Keep the screen no less than inches away and at or just below eye level.
Place the keyboard so you can type without bending your wrists up or down when your forearms are roughly horizontal.
Uncross your legs, and keep your knees at a 90-degree angle.
Get up and walk around every 30 to 60 minutes, standing tall as you do.
Do this to protect your eyes from computer vision syndrome.
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