Healthy Spine Habits: Do You Have Them?
By Sara Butler
When it comes to caring for your spine, there are some guidelines you should always keep in mind. Aside from regular chiropractic care, your habits have a huge impact on the health of your back. Here are some of the good and some of the bad habits that make or break your spinal health. How many good and bad habits do you have?
Where You Sleep
Your bed may seem like a refuge from the world, but is it as good as it can be? Do you regularly wake up in the morning sore or tossing and turning all night? Those things can be caused by your mattress -- a mattress that isn’t supporting you the right way.
You may have a mattress that is too old. According to the National Sleep Foundation, many people don’t switch out their beds as often as they should. In fact, you should be getting a new mattress every eight years or so depending on manufacturer’s recommendations for your specific mattress.
Where You Work
How many hours do you spend sitting at a desk each day? It may be impacting your back in ways you don’t even realize. During the time you spend sitting at work, you’re probably practicing poor posture at least some of the time and that puts a lot of stress and strain on your back. You should strive to change working positions frequently, at least once an hour. If your work will allow it, you may want to investigate a standing desk to use at least part of the time in order to help take some of the pressure off your spine that all that sitting places upon it.
Where You Relax
Your couch is a place of solace at the end of a hard day, but if you spend a lot of time on it when you get home, then you may not be achieving a healthy balance between rest and exercise. Exercising just 30 minutes each day can have a positive impact on the health of your spine as well as your overall health. It’s OK to veg out sometimes, but make sure you’re making a habit of going to the gym.
Where You Get Chiropractic Care
Are you getting regular chiropractic care? This is one habit that the chiropractors at The Joint can help you to achieve!
Find out more about how to keep your spine healthy with the help of the chiropractors at The Joint!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Aurora, Colo.