Top 5 tips for a healthier spine

Millions of people are affected by back pain everyday. And beyond living with pain itself, this condition diminishes your quality of life. Work will be missed, social activities will be difficult, it will be entirely harder to be mobile. A healthy spine is essential to our overall health. Here is a few tips on how to keep your spine healthy.

1. Always Keep moving.
Keeping up with regular physical activity is an important way to stay healthy. There are 3 types of exercises that can be included into your exercise routine:

A. Range of motion exercises- such as stretching and bending. Do these every day to keep joints flexible and to relieve stiffness.

B. Strengthening exercises- such as with weights or machines. Make sure to get instruction for the proper use of exercise equipment to avoid injury. Do these every day to increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help support and protect the spine.

C. Aerobic exercises- such as walking, jogging, biking, tennis, and swimming. You could even take an hour out of the day to play your favorite song and just dance around the room. Do these 2 to 3 times a week.

2. Loose weight.
The more u weigh the greater the stress is on your spine. If you are overweight loosing a couple pounds can keep your spine healthy. With loosing the weight you can maintain a healthier lifestyle and it could also make u feel better about yourself.

3. Sleep well.
It's very important to get plenty of rest. But what we rest on is also important. A mattress that does not offer enough support for your spine can lead to muscle fatigue and a poor night's sleep. A good mattress allows you to rest in a neutral position; muscles are relaxed and sleep is more refreshing. If you are having trouble sleeping or find that you wake in the morning more tired than when you went to bed, take a good look at where and how you sleep.

4. Having good posture.
Good posture keeps your body in balance and helps avoid excessive stress on your spine. Here's what good posture looks like when standing:
A. Feet slightly apart
B. Knees straight
C. Chin slightly tucked in
D. Shoulders back and down

5. See your doctor regularly for check-ups.
If you have neck pain or back pain, be sure to get it checked out. Left untreated, some spine conditions can continue to get worse and may have serious health consequences.