Text Neck Syndrome...It's a Real Thing
About 80% of the back problems that will afflict 1 in 4 Americans derives from bad posture. Simply put, if your back is hurting, it’s probably a direct result of slouching. So, stop looking down at your phone and lift your head up for five seconds. Or at the very least while you’re walking.
It turns out poor posture can cause a number of issues aside from back pain. Headaches, neck & shoulder pain, and even poor circulation can all result from poor posture. Thankfully, they can all be easily fixed by simply straightening up. But there’s one other aspect of posture we typically don’t think about. Confidence.
It turns out posture affects our level of confidence, particularly how good we feel about ourselves and our ability to perform.
A 2009 study from Ohio State University strongly suggests good posture correlates with positive self image. In the study, 71 college students were instructed to either sit tall & straight or slouch. They were then asked to list 3 positive or negative traits about themselves they believed would contribute to their future professional success. Finally, they were also asked to rate themselves on how well they would perform as professionals.
Interestingly, researchers found that not only did the students’ posture affect how they rated themselves, but posture also determined how confident they were in their answers. The students who sat with good posture trusted their answers more, while those who slouched were not convinced of their answers, whether positive or negative.
So, what does this mean for you?
Well, get at the root of why we do most of the things we do. We exercise, buy nice clothes, get a little botox to hide those 11s (the 40 plus crowd knows what I’m talking about), and we do it all so we can feel a little better about ourselves. Standing and sitting with better posture--tall & straight--is one quick and simple way to do that. And it’s actually healthy for you.