Put simply, the back is just a collection of bones, piled one on top of the other, held together by ligaments, but these do not provide sufficient strength to maintain an upright stance or the weight of the upper body.

Two key elements of upright posture are the curved spine and the complex set of postural muscles that act as guy-ropes and between them maintain the position of the joints.

Postural muscles are composed of slow-twitch muscle fibres, i.e. they are relatively slow to respond to nerve impulses but have a great resistance against fatigue.  Phasic muscles, on the other hand, which are responsible for producing rapid and strong movement, are mostly composed of fast-twitch muscles that respond rapidly, with powerful contractions, but which tire quickly.  When the body is held in the ideal alignment, the postural muscles need only do the minimum of work to maintain the body in the upright position.

If this fine balance is upset, additional support is needed to support the vertical column of bones and the postural muscles have to work harder to maintain stability.  Phasic muscles can then become involved in maintaining posture which is not their main role.  They quickly tire and are more prone to injury, especially if your exercise regime directly uses these muscles – they never get a chance to rest and recover properly.

The ideal posture is best viewed from the side – you should be able to imagine a vertical straight line through the ear, the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle.  Check this out with a friend and ask her to see how your posture compares.  Few people have correct posture.

It is important to maintain the correct posture and technique when exercising, but also when you are going about the rest of your day.  Sitting slumped at a desk, sitting with one foot underneath you on your office chair or carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder are all bad practice.

Next time you are walking behind someone carrying a bag on one shoulder, look at the shape of her back – you will probably find that the spine is curved to one side and one shoulder is higher that the other.  In ideal posture, the spine is straight when seen from behind and both shoulders and hips should be level with each other.

Try not to put too much weight in your handbag and swap shoulders regularly.  If you must carry a heavy bag, such as a laptop, use a rucksack and make sure that you use both shoulder straps to distribute the weight evenly across your shoulders.

Sit upright in your chair with your shoulders back and your head upright to reduce the tension in the neck muscles.

If you think you need some help with your posture, consult a qualified Sports Therapist, Exercise Practitioner or Osteopath.

Also, see the series of articles starting on posture at www.rosebanklifestylesolutions.com.

Light levels have a big impact on your wellbeing: low light levels stimulate the release of melatonin which is the chemial that makes you tired and sleepy as the daylight goes and evening comes around.  But a grey, overcast day has the same effect.

So go outside, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.  Walk around, even in the street is better than staying indoors.  You get a little exercise, different air and a change of focus for your eyes because you look at things that are very close when you work indoors – your desk or PC or instance.  You also get a burst of that all important light, which makes you feel more awake, more alert.

If you can, find some grass in a park somewhere.  Looking at green can lower your blood pressure.  Sit quietly, take off your shoes and wiggle your toes in the grass.  This sounds mad, but too many of us have thinking jobs that literally mean we are ‘in our heads’ all the time.  This makes you loose track of your body.   Reconnect with the Earth.

Walking barefoot and wiggling your toes might not seem an obvious de-stress exercise, but it’s cheap, quick and easy to do.  It also means you get out of the office, even for a few minutes, which is great.

So, next time the sun shines, head outside just for the fun of it.  Take a friend, take a book or a newspaper and find somewhere nice to sit – 15 minutes is all it takes to make a difference to your day.

Stress is a reaction to what happens to us as human beings and is as natural and logical as any part of our lives.  It is unavoidable, inevitable and essential.  But that doesn’t mean that we are all doomed.  Check out the free e-book when you subscribe to my newsletter.  It contains a guide to stress – what it is, why it happens, what is good and bad about it.  Plus some tips on how to cope with it.

So check out that free e-book when you sign up for the free newsletter.