Do you recall that you always sat on the floor when you were a child? You loved playing with your multitude of toys lying all over the immaculate, polished hardwood surface. In fact, you hardly ever left this position unless you were hungry or it was bedtime. Although you didn’t know you were making memories at that age as you were simply having fun, these are the most cherished and sweetest moments of your life. Yet these days, you barely have time to have fun, let alone to sit on the floor.
If we tell you that sitting on the floor has many advantages, will you make an effort to find the time to do so? Are you still unsure? Just keep reading, and sitting on the floor might become part of your daily rituals.
Benefits of Sitting on the Floor
In this modern age, we are so accustomed to comfort that lying on a chair or sofa is a more practical option than sitting on the floor, requiring you to engage your core for stabilization. However, when you sit in a chair for long hours, it results in tight and stiff hips. By contrast, sitting on the floor stretches your muscles and provides several benefits, including the following:
A Better Posture
When you are seated on the ground, the risk of suffering from an abnormal inward curvature of your lower spine is minimal because you tend to straighten your body and push your shoulders backward. This regular stretch of your lower body muscles helps you improve your posture.
Back Pain Relief
In addition to correcting your posture, if you regularly sit on the floor, you will strengthen your core muscles and minimize hip tension. And this can help relieve back pain.
Increased Mobility and Flexibility
While actively stretching your lower back muscles when sitting on the floor, you will improve your mobility and promote natural flexibility.
Improved Digestion
When you eat on the floor, you should slightly lean forward to pick up your food from your plate on the ground and come straight back to your initial position. This repetitive movement stimulates the abdominal muscles and increases digestive enzymes’ secretion in the stomach, which helps to better digest food.
Mind Relaxation
As in yoga poses, when you sit cross-legged on the floor, it helps you to meditate better. As a matter of fact, these poses allow your mind to be relieved from stress because they increase the oxygen flow in your metabolism.
Enhanced Life Expectancy
Sitting on the floor can increase longevity. Yes, you read that, right! For instance, Okinawa in Japan is one of the places where people live remarkably longer and healthier. There, the tradition wants you to sit on the floor to read, talk, eat, and relax. Actually, centenarians sit and stand up from the floor dozens or hundreds of times a day. A study also shows that the more you can sit and stand up from the floor without support, the longer you are expected to live.
The Most Comfortable Sitting Position on the Floor
- Cross-legged
It is the most popular and comfortable sitting position. This pose is known to improve posture and bring a feeling of tranquility and peace.
- Squatting
This position offers flexibility for movement and the ability to participate fully in physical activities. To sit in this position, keep your feet apart on the floor and slowly lower your buttocks until you are just above the ground. Be sure to hold your shoulders and chest upright.
- Kneeling
For this posture, rest on your lower legs while sitting on your heels. Note that besides being a yoga position, this is also a formal way to sit in Japan.
Although it might be challenging the first few days to go back to your childhood moments and sit on the floor, it will become easier with regular practice and you’ll get to enjoy its benefits. Have you recently started sitting on the floor? Let us know, in the comments, below how you’ve found the experience so far.
