1. You will breathe easier, literally, 2. You will have better balance. 3. You will look better.
That’s right; look better. The Boston Globe reports that a study from Northwestern University found that volunteers who were told to maintain a straight posture when sitting not only projected more of a leadership ability to others, compared with when they were told to slouch, but also said they felt more powerful even when assigned the role of a subordinate in a role-playing situation. The Globe points out that slouching, power-deficient posture is particularly common among those who sit all day at a computer. Yikes! What to do? Get up. Stand up. One therapist recommends setting an alarm on your watch or computer to remind yourself to rise and move about once or twice an hour. Then, of course, there is exercise. The Globe reports tha exercises that specifically work the abdominal core muscles, like yoga or pilates, can help improve your posture automatically by both strengthening muscles that support your spine, and increasing your body awareness.