Posture
Most people neglect correct posture and on the whole never experience any negative effects until quite late in life, back ache and neck pain being the most common of these. If a person with anxiety also suffers with incorrect posture this can have a profound effect on the level of anxiety symptoms.

I have already discussed that breathing is one of the factors in the Holy Grail of anxiety disorders. If you correct the breathing patterns and anxiety levels will fall. Posture has a profound effect on breathing, if muscles and bones are compressed a certain amount of restriction has to be expected.

Anxiety and depression can cause a person to become guarded, they feel, subconsciously, that they need to protect themselves from danger. Like a scared hedgehog that roles itself into a ball to protect its soft vulnerable belly, we too tend to sit with our arms crossed, our legs tucked tightly to our bodies and our shoulders and torso rolled at the waste when we are anxious or depressed. This posture is achieved totally subconsciously but is seriously unhealthy; it compresses internal organs including the heart and lungs and it inhibits good circulation and causes muscle, tendon and nerve pain.

If you feel that you are doing this try and correct it, the more you are aware of what you are doing, the more you can practice good posture. If necessary, ask your relatives and friends to tell you when you are doing it, if you change this you will feel better almost immediately.

In our modern life we are less likely to stand, walk and run for long periods. Over the last one hundred years human habits have evolved quicker than at any other time in history; we have more stressors, life is faster, more expensive and definitely more competitive.

Our bodies, however, have not evolved to accommodate these changes in life practice; this can cause incompatibility between physiological makeup and activities. Over sustained periods of physical and mental pressure caused by these incompatibilities, physical problems can develop which manifest themselves as stress. Physical activity promotes more effective circulation, muscle fitness, cardiovascular fitness and healthier lungs.

Lack of exercise, bad posture and poor air quality in our modern offices can be very damaging. The average person that works in an office probably sits for at least five to six hours of the working day and only moves to walk to the coffee machine, to grab a quick cup of stimulant, just to kick-start that adrenaline. Sitting in an office chair is not bad in itself but should only be done for short periods with activity in between.

The sitting position compresses the torso and the organs below the diaphragm are pushed upwards towards the chest cavity restricting the lungs and heart. If you are overweight, this compounds the problem. Shorter shallower breaths are taken and blood oxygen and blood carbon dioxide levels are compromised.

Most of my work is done seated at my computer. I have recently bought a kneeling chair, which has improved my posture, but I used to feel terrible if I had been seated for long periods. The discomfort was not always apparent immediately, but would sometimes carry over to the next day showing that breathing can be altered drastically and persistently over extended periods.


Incorrect posture
Compressed chest cavity causes short difficult breaths and compacts internal organs.




Correct posture
Chest expanded, back straight, lungs and internal organs relaxed.

I feel that bad breathing and posture could explain many of the symptoms associated with work related stress. It doesn't take too long for a person's natural breathing patterns to be altered enough to cause some unpleasant symptoms including anxiety, panic disorders or depression.

Couple incorrect posture with radiation from monitor screens, poor quality recycled air or air conditioning, lack of fresh air, central heating, coffee drinking, long hours and an angry boss and it is easy to see why the epidemic of 'work stress' related illness is developing.

To improve bad posture, it is important to find a seat that keeps the back straight, try not to lean onto the desk. In this position the chest cavity is at its optimum size whilst sitting. Physical activity helps maintain good circulation and allows the skeleton, muscles and other bodily tissue to stretch, opening up the joints and allowing the body to breathe.

Try to avoid drinking too much coffee or tea, as they are both stimulants. Make sure you get copious amounts of good quality, fresh air, open a window if you can and try to get outside of the building during break times if possible