4 Reasons Why Sitting On The Floor Is Better Than A Chair

We all know that it's essential to stay active and get regular exercise.

But did you know that extended seating — all the hours you spend seated watching TV, working, playing computer games and eating — can be harmful to your health?

Health researchers have gone as far as comparing extended seating to smoking and obesity.

This is why swapping your comfortable sofa for the floor may be the best thing for your health.

Here are four ways sitting on the floor is better for you than sitting on a chair.

Improved Posture

Sitting for prolonged periods affects your low back angle and pelvis movement. A 2018 study on the short term musculoskeletal and cognitive effects of long-term seating found that prolonged seating resulted in a change in the angle of the lower back.

Prolonged seating results in increased erector spinae muscle activation and decreased core and glute (butt) muscle activation resulting in an anterior pelvic tilt.

Floor sitting forces you to maintain a neutral spine and sit more upright, therefore improving your posture.

Improved Flexibility, Strength

Did you know that sitting on your desk and lounging on your sofa is eating your muscles?

Prolonged sitting leads to the breakdown of muscle fibers, causing your legs to become weak over time. When you sit at your desk for too long, your hamstrings become tighter over time, which causes them to pull your lower back.

Floor sitting, on the other hand, forces you to continually use your leg muscles as you switch between different positions.

Sitting on the floor also makes you work your core and lower back — both of which are essential for strength and flexibility.

Floor sitting positions such as the squat also helps to strengthen all the muscles in your leg as you stand up.

Sitting in a crossed-legged position also helps to strengthen your buttocks, which become inactive due to too much sitting on the chair.

Improved Digestion

It’s common practice to sit on the floor while eating in Asian cultures. Despite the cultural diversity, most Asian communities will sit on the floor when eating.

This is because sitting on the floor tends to improve digestion.

When you eat from a plate placed on the floor, you naturally have to bend forward to get food to your mouth then lean back to swallow. This constant back and forth motion works your abdominal muscles, leading to increased secretion of digestive juices.

Longer Lifespan

Do you want to live longer?

Substituting your chair for a floor pillow could be your secret weapon.

A 2012 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found a link between being able to raise yourself from the ground without using your hands and longer lifespan.

An essential way of making sure you can get up without holding on to anything is adopting floor sitting. This way, you consistently practice the movement.

Sitting on a chair, on the other hand, has been reported to result in lower life expectancy.

There you have it.

Sitting on the floor can help you live longer, improve your strength and flexibility as well as enhance your digestion.

You can get a floor cushion or foam floor tiles to make the transition easier.