Even people in their 20s can experience the pains of poor posture — and it certainly doesn’t get less painful later on. That’s why, when we correct our posture, we’ll often feel immediate internal bodily relief.

“But wait,” you might say. “I feel pretty good while being slouched on the sofa too.” Hey, we’ve all slumped on the sofa. So why is it that we haven’t evolved to be proper sitters?

The truth is that it’s easier for our bodies not to fight gravity. When we relax completely, we tend to slouch and slump into all kinds of strange ways while sitting. It’s just easier, but it’s not healthier.

For example, poor posture can cause tension and pain in your neck, upper back, lower back, and shoulders. That stiff neck after browsing Facebook? Poor posture is typically a major factor.

Poor posture can also have serious long-term impacts on your health. It can cause misalignment of your spine, and may cause other bones to shift from their natural position. This pushes your skeletal system up against your nerves, “pinching” them. Your “pinched” nerves can lead to further back and neck pain, as well as pain in other parts of your body that may lead to expensive therapy.

One great way of improving your posture is doing yoga or exercising your core and back muscles regularly, so proper posture doesn’t feel so intense after long periods of time. For AFEUSA members, you can take fitness classes for a much more affordable price with our partner, Burnalong! Get 50% off your annual membership, making it only $60 a year to take fitness courses with your family and friends, near or far.