Proper posture isn’t just about what position we work in. It’s how long we work in that position.
Repetitive strain and overuse injuries will be worse with bad posture. But tension and pain will still affect our postural muscles if we hold them activated in the same position for long periods of time (even if our posture is good).
The longer my work day is, the more my breathing suffers.
And when my breathing suffers, it can significantly impact my posture.
This article will talk about how I use somatic breathing for better computer posture.
Somatic Breathwork for Computer Posture
This article will talk about what somatic breathwork is. It’ll go over the benefits of how it’s improved my bad computer posture. Finally, it’ll talk about how I do somatic breathing exercises.
What is Somatic Breathwork
The word “somatic” comes from the Greek word “soma,” which means “body.”
Somatic breathwork is using conscious breathing to increase body awareness, release tension, and regulate the nervous system.
It focuses on how breathing feels in my body, not just on controlling my breath.
Regular breathing exercises focus on counting breaths, or timing inhales vs exhales.
When I do somatic breathing techniques, I don’t force specific breathing patterns. It’s more of a natural exercise. I pay more attention to sensations, muscle tension, and subtle imbalances in my body.
I try to disconnect from my work and reconnect to my body. And I also focus on releasing tension and stress.
What Are The Benefits Of Somatic Breathwork For Computer Posture
Here are my favorite benefits I’ve gotten from somatic breathing exercises.
Increased Body Awareness
The mind body connection is such a powerful thing. And sitting at a computer for long periods can easily make that connection suffer. But the increased body awareness I get, from somatic breathing, gives me a sense of calm during a stressful workday.
Increased Blood Flow
Holding the same postural muscles activated, for long periods of time, reduces blood flow through those muscles. This is what causes repetitive strain injuries.
Disconnecting from work, then practicing somatic breathing techniques, helps me get blood flowing back through those tissues.
Releasing Muscle Tension and Stress
I used to work high-stress, inside sales jobs. My best month was never good enough. The company always wanted more sales. This stress, combined with sitting in the exact same position for 10 hours straight, led to excessive muscle tension and stress.
Especially because I was working on a laptop at the time, which was really bad for my posture. If you work strictly with a laptop monitor, check out my article on the best posture for working on a laptop.
Anyway, back to breathing. Increased body awareness and increased blood flow, both lead to less tension and stress for me. Slow, somatic breathing allows my muscle tone to soften and stress hormones to decrease.
Regulates Nervous System
Somatic breathing is slow and intentional. I like to do long inhales and longer exhales. I inhale and exhale through my nose. Because I’m a recovering mouth breather. Nasal breathing helps me breathe slower. It’s just my personal preference, not a recommendation.
Somatic breathing techniques allow my heart rate to slow down. They also allow my blood pressure to drop.
How To Do Somatic Breathwork For Computer Posture
Here’s the breathing routine that works for me.
Lay flat on the floor.
Laying flat on the floor is the best way for me to relax. So it’s also the ideal way for me to work on my breathing. Some people do have success, working on their breathing while sitting. They sit tall, but relaxed.
That’s just not my experience. So I’ll write this according to how laying flat on the floor is the best position for me.
I breathe through my nose, both on the inhale and exhale.
I relax my jaw. In order to do that, I close my mouth. Then, I breathe through my nose, both on the inhale and exhale. This is just my personal preference. Because I used to be a chronic mouth breather. That led to chronic overuse of my jaw muscles, which led to painful headaches.
Once I get comfortably into my breathing, I try to notice which muscles relax the most. Then, I focus on which muscles are tense, the ones that won’t relax.
I place one hand on my chest and one on my stomach.
This helps me realize how much (or how little) I’m focusing on diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm is a muscle below the lungs. It contracts, helping to pull air into the lungs.
I heard a breathing expert say that the term “diaphragmatic breathing” was like saying “leg running.” Which was really funny. But it made a lot of sense. I’m always using my diaphragm when I breathe, it’s just a matter of how much, and how effectively, I’m using it.
By placing one hand on my chest and one on my stomach, this helps me notice which one moves more. If my chest moves more, I need to focus on activating my diaphragm more.
I visualize breathing directly into my tight muscles.
On each inhale I take, I gently “breathe” directly into my tight problem areas. As an athlete who sits at a computer for a living, these areas often include:
- chest muscles
- muscles surrounding my rib cage
- upper back
- shoulder rotator cuffs
- hamstrings
- glute muscles
I don’t limit my practice to these muscles. But they are the ones that often get the tightest from my previous life of poor computer posture.
I exhale longer than I inhale.
I’ve taken a couple classes on breathwork. I’ve also read a couple books on how to understand breathing better.
The main, basic takeaways I’ve gotten from those experiences are:
- I need to increase the amount of air that goes into my lungs.
- I need that air to stay in my lungs for a longer amount of time.
One of the best ways to get these done, is to exhale very slowly (longer than I inhale).
I let my arms, shoulders, and head feel heavy. I imagine them “melting” into the floor.
When I’m doing somatic breathwork, the goal is to improve my posture awareness, reduce muscle tension, and calm my nervous system.
I use somatic breathing to improve my computer posture, by changing how the nervous system interacts with my body.
Now that you’ve got a handle on that, level up your ergonomics with how to improve posture while sitting at computer.
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Thanks for your interest in computer posture.
Todd Bowen – Computer Posture Correction and Pain-Free Ergonomics: For Part-Time Athletes Who Sit at a Computer Full-Time