7 Quick and Easy Exercises to Improve Posture

While there are some alarming facts associated with bad posture and its effects on long term health, there are several ways to improve on your posture that are not at all time consuming. Many of these exercises can be done in your break time or even sitting at your desk in the middle of work.

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1. The Mountain--Standing up, turn your palms facing outward and stretch your arms straight down. This should help you stand as tall and straight as possible.

2. Spinal tension--Lie down on your stomach with your hands by your shoulders and press your hands into the floor. This will arch your spine and lift your chest off of the ground. Hold the pose for three breaths before returning to the ground and repeat as necessary.

3. Hamstring (seated)--If you're sitting in your office chair, extend one leg forward with your heel on the ground. Keeping your back straight, lean forward with your hands on your hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Hold for ten seconds and repeat with the other leg.

4. Chest stretch--While this can be done standing or seated, it is better accomplished from the standing position. Join both hands behind your back and open your chest forward. This will allow you to feel a stretch in both your arms and chest and maybe even loosen up the tension in your thighs.

5. Cat/Cow--Kneel on hands and feet and round your back up towards the ceiling in a cat pose. Extend the spine inward for a cow stretch.

6. Child's pose--Kneeling on the ground, sit on your heels with your knees spread apart. Fold forward until your forehead is resting on the ground.

7. Lower back twist--Lie flat on your back and pull one knee in towards your chest. Rotate the knee over your other leg and try to touch the ground with it. Attempt to keep your entire back connected to the ground and hold this pose.

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Ways to Measure Your Progress

--If your ear is in front of the midpoint of your shoulder, then your head is too far forward.

--Look in the mirror, standing sideways as tall as you can. If you can see your other shoulder blade, then your back is too rounded.

--Both of your shoulders should be the same height. One should not be higher or lower than the other.

--Your kneecaps should not point inward and force your knees to touch if your legs are straightened.

--Your toes should not point outward more than 10 degrees.

--If your hips tilt forward and your lower back is noticeably arched, you have an anterior pelvic tilt.

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Sticking with these exercises daily and taking mental notes of your progress should drastically improve your posture and overall energy in a short amount of time. Equally important is being mindful of how you carry yourself when walking around or sitting in your office chair.

Sources: Huffington Post, Women's Health