Posture Correction, the Key is Changing the 'Brain'
01 The Real Reason Posture Correction is Difficult at First
- The brain's 'faulty map': Our brain stores a long-maintained slumped posture as the most comfortable and normal state in its map. Because of this, when you try to adopt a correct posture, the brain instead feels 'something is wrong with the body' and prompts you to return to the original bad posture.
- Blocked energy supply: Text neck and a hunched back obstruct blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain, causing brain fog and decreased concentration.
02 The Hidden Switch Controlling Full-Body Posture, the 'TMJ (Jaw Joint)'
- Neurological connection: The nerves responsible for jaw sensation and those responsible for neck movement meet in the brain. If the jaw is misaligned, the brain mistakes this for a neck problem, causing tension in the neck and shoulders, and leading to full-body asymmetry.
- Reference point for balance: The brain perceives the horizontal level of the head through signals from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). If the jaw is misaligned, the brain judges that the body is tilted and, to compensate, twists the pelvis or bends the spine.
03 3 Simple Exercises to Reset Your Brain
Gently rest the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your upper front teeth. When your tongue supports the palate, tension in the muscles around your jaw is minimized, and your brain perceives this as a stable state.
Slightly open your mouth to relax your jaw, then inhale while looking upwards, and exhale while looking downwards. This simultaneously releases stiffness in your neck and shoulders.
Repeat the action of maintaining a correct posture (tongue on the roof of the mouth, chest open) for 6 seconds, 6 sets, 6 times a day. This is the most effective way to input new posture patterns into your brain.
