It’s no secret that our bodies are designed to move. We have limbs that are capable of achieving various positions as they propel us forward and let us interact with the world. However, with technological advances comes a lifestyle that is far more sedentary than what was intended.Â
Our bodies intuitively try and warn us to move but we often miss these signals. Do you pay attention to your body when it screams for movement?
Think about the last time that you sat down on a hard bench without back support for an extended period of time. There is no doubt that your body tried to signal for you to move but did you take notice? At first it caused you to shift your posture so that you leaned further forward. Then perhaps it encouraged you to change your legs to one crossed over the other. Maybe you tried to relieve some of your body weight by supporting yourself on your arms. All of these subtle shifts in posture are the clues that our bodies give us that we have been still for too long and we need to move.
The same thing occurs when we are standing in the one position for too long. While it is well accepted that standing is much better for you than sitting, remaining static while standing is not providing what our bodies are craving – movement! Again our bodies try to alert us to this lack of movement by causing us to shift our weight from one leg to another, changing our foot position and encouraging us to arch our backs.
It is amazing how our bodies try to guide us along the path to good health. Simply being more aware of the signals our body gives us can shed light on what is natural. Are you paying attention to your body as it tries to help you?