Proper Body Alignment Can Prevent Neck Pain When Scrolling For Deals
These days, you don’t have to stand in long lines at the crack of dawn to take advantage of Black Friday deals. But you might have to spend a little time on your phone or ipad scrolling and getting ready to grab that TV you’ve had your eye on as soon as it goes on sale. The upside to online shopping? You don’t have to leave your house. The downside? You have to spend a long time (longer than normal) staring at your phone. And sometimes these online sales can last for days!
Don’t let your search for a great deal become a pain in the neck (or head or even back!). Hours of looking at your phone isn’t great for your body but being in alignment before you even start can help prevent pain as your scroll for the best deal.
Here are a few reasons you should make sure your body is aligned before you start your online Black Friday shopping.
Reduces Strain on the Neck and Spine
Since everything in our body is connected (remember the song?) when our spine is in alignment, it reduces strain on the neck and when the neck is properly aligned, it helps our spine.
Think about it this way; the human head weighs about 10-12 pounds when held upright. However, as you tilt your head forward to look at your phone, the effective weight on the neck and spine increases. At a 45-degree angle, your head can feel like it weighs 49 pounds…yikes!
Proper alignment makes it easier to hold your head up and helps in maintaining a neutral spine position, thereby reducing this strain. If you’re already used to holding your head up, your body will do naturally, even when scrolling, and you won’t feel the effects of your shopping spree the next day!
Promotes Better Breathing
Proper posture and alignment open up the chest, allowing for easier breathing. Slouching or being hunched over restricts the diaphragm and the lungs, making it harder to take deep breaths. And it’s no secret that if we’re breathing better, we feel better.
Here are just a few benefits of creating a clear path for your breath to flow:
- More energy
- Increased metabolism
- Better heart health
- Stress reduction
- Enhanced brain function
- Better immune system
-
Better sleep
So if you want to be ready to grab those Black Friday deals as soon as they hit, keep your cool while you click and scroll, and have the brain power and focus to make sure you’re staying within budget, make sure your body is in alignment, take a deep breath, and stand tall!
Minimizes Headaches
Don’t let a headache prevent you from taking advantage of Black Friday deals. If you’re out of alignment, you’ll be more prone to headaches.
When your spine is not functioning properly it can put pressure on your nervous system and your nervous system stretches throughout your whole body…even into your neck and head. When the nerves that stretch along the spine are irritated, you could end up with a headache or migraine. This pain could also stem from the fact that if your spine can’t support the head like it’s supposed to (due to misalignment), the muscles of the neck will work overtime to compensate…leading to pain in the neck or head. If you ever have the urge to rub the muscles at the base of your neck during a headache, misalignment might be to blame!
Prevent Text Neck
“Text neck” refers to the pain resulting from prolonged forward neck posture, commonly due to excessive phone use. Proper alignment can help prevent this condition. If you plan to be on your phone more than normal while you hunt down Black Friday deals, try these tips to avoid text neck.
How To Stay in Alignment and Prevent Text Neck
- Elevate your phone to eye level, so you don't have to tilt your head down
- Take Regular Breaks, every 20-30 minutes, to stretch your neck and realign
- Try neck exercises like neck rolls, chin tucks and neck tilts
- Practice good posture regularly
- Remember this mantra; Head over heart, heart over pelvis
- You should also be mindful of pulling your chin back and your shoulders down and back
- Try yoga. A regular yoga practice can help keep your body in alignment
- Wear insoles regularly: Orange insoles can provide corrective support to keep your hips from becoming misaligned. They provide a strong foundation for your spine as you move through your daily activities and help keep your body in alignment.
A good deal isn’t worth pain or poor alignment. By taking care of our bodies all the time, we can make sure that looking at our phones doesn’t mean risking our health. Practice proper alignment so you can feel better and do more all year long.
