We sit on the chair for most of the time of our working period, reading/studying session, and the time we need to relax or so. But, it differs from culture to culture. Indians sit cross-legged on the floor in the term of “Yoga” and the formal way of sitting in Japan (Seiza) is on the floor. It has some health benefits of sitting on the floor as well.
Can you remember your first sitting, most probably on the floor? Look at your kids, they start their crawling and sitting from the floor. It’s the beginning and the ultimate reality of nature. Our core muscles start developing from there what stops sitting on a chair. It results in ache when we suddenly sit on the floor nowadays.
But, the inertia can remove if you try to sit on the floor regularly. The practice will develop your core muscles including pelvic floor muscles, transverses abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, and many more. It has a few more health benefits you should know.
What are the Benefits of Sitting on the Floor?
The following advantages include the most potential for your health:
1. Improve posture:
Natural sitting on the floor pushes your shoulder back to straighten the spine and back. Floor sitting makes your core muscles stable and removes any back pain to bring back the right posture. It ensures natural curvature for the upper and lowers back to stabilize the surrounding muscles.
2. Sitting on the floor improves strength:
Regular sitting on a chair may affect some postural issues like back pain. But sitting on posture strengthens the core muscles that are useful to build your back and shoulder muscles. Thus, you can get relief from a slipped disk and lower back pain.
3. Makes your body flexible:
Sitting on the floor stretches the lower half of muscles that gradually makes your body flexible. This portion of the body includes the hips, legs, pelvis, and spine. The position of sitting on the floor seals the deal for you.
4. Relaxes your mind:
Yoga is a perfect term for meditation. It includes all the free-hand exercise standing or sitting on the floor on a mat. Sukhasana and padmasana relieve stress and anxiety from the mind by increasing the oxygen flow rate in the body.
5. Sitting posture may live you long:
A study from the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology claimed that regular sitting on the floor in a cross-legged position increases life expectancy. But, you have to get up from padmasana without any support is the only condition. It requires a lot of strength and mobility and if you have that are more likely to live longer.
6. Benefits of sitting on the floor and eating:
A few Yoga postures like a cross-legged sitting position improves your digestion process. Placing the meal on the ground while eating food moves your body forward to eat and brings it back to the prior position. You have to do it several times to complete the meal of that time.
It stimulates the abdominal muscles to increase the production of digestive enzymes. Thus, it improves the overall digestion process.
Other benefits:
Sitting on the floor regularly will improve your posture and straighten your back. It will bring you comfort and great for a long time session for anything like watching TV, studying, reading a book, even eating dinner.
It may look weird in the workplace to sit on the floor, but you can try this at home. This sitting posture is highly recommended for a long time studying and eating. It will better your digestion process as well.
The Comfortable sitting positions on the floor
The following sitting poses may not equally comfortable for you. It’s your turn to discover the right sitting posture for you.
Kneeling(Seiza):
It’s the Japanese formal sitting poses that have many terms as well. The process is simply resting buttocks on your heels. You can kneel on a mat to reduce the pressures on the knees.
Cross-legged
The easiest pose and comfortable sitting position on the floor. After sitting on the floor bend your knees and move them closer till both feet place underneath them. It shifts your upper body weight on your hips. Thus, it stretches the lower body muscle to improve posture and make your body relaxed.
Squatting
Squatting allows you to move around easily between standing & floor positions. Place your heels on the floor and lower the buttock above the floor.
Precautions on sitting on the floor:
The wrong sitting poses can bring you unwanted discomfort and even ache. If you have any joint issues, visit your doctor before starting any sitting poses. Never try any of the prior floor sitting options going beyond your body.
If you sit on the floor or practicing sukhasana for a longer time, it much pressure on your knees. You should use a mat or floor chair on that occasion for a good posture.
Do I need a floor chair for my home?
If you want to make the floor sitting more comfortable along with all the health benefits, nothing is better than a floor chair. It ensures direct contact with the floor. Most of them come with back support to keep straight your back for more flexibility. Floor chairs are great for meditation and make it a bit comfortable than directly sitting on the floor.
Finally
Ask yourself finally, is sitting on the floor healthy? Yes, it stretches your lower body muscles to provide the right posture than sitting on a chair. That’s all the benefits you will get by sitting on the floor regularly. Keep trying the different sitting poses to find out which one brings you the right posture.
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