A recent study has been made headlines the past few weeks by declaring that sitting for a prolonged period of time can increase the risk of premature death- even if you exercise regularly. Yet, in this day and age, there is little one can do to get around being stationary for prolonged periods of time. Most jobs require you to be at a desk for a certain number of hours a day. And there are only so many time you can get up to walk to the bathroom before your boss gets suspicious. So what can you do?

The answer may be as simple as sit better. It has long been known that Americans have poor posture; it is not something we prioritize as a culture. That may be the root of this new ‘sitting’ evil. Slouching in your chair weakens your back muscles while leaning forward can squish your internal organs. Instead, if one sits in postures advised by yoga experts for decades, your muscles will remain strong, your breath will come easy and you may very well reduce the risk of premature death.

Take a moment to adjust your position.

Make sure that both of your feet are planted firmly on the ground with the pressure spread evenly between the toes and heel and between the inside and outside of the foot. Do not cross your ankles or legs as that restricts the flow of blood through your extremities.

Next, the hips. The position of the knees affects the tilt of the pelvis so make sure they are aligned with your feet below. Make sure you evenly distribute your weight to both sit bones. By doing so, you will activate the deep muscles in your lower abdomen. Use this strength to support your upper body (as opposed to relying on the back of the chair).

Third, your back. The spine is naturally curved so do not try to over-correct it by sitting ramrod straight- you will only exhaust and potentially injury yourself. Don’t lean forward or back either. Let the back rise naturally out of your perfectly aligned hips.

Fourth, your shoulders should be resting evenly and the shoulder blades pointed slightly downward. This will keep your chest open and your breath easy. Contrary to the popular belief, squeezing your shoulder blades together or sticking out your chest actually restricts your ability to breath.

Finally, have your head resting lightly on your neck. It should be as if someone was pulling a tiny string upward from the crown of your head. This will allow free and easy movement of breath in and out of the body.

The most important thing, of course, is to breathe. All of this proper alignment is to ease the flow of breath and blood throughout the body. By keeping the body balanced and poised, none of your organs will be stressed. And that can certainly go a long way towards improving your health.