Most of us end up spending a lot of our days seated in chairs or on sofas. As you read this, you’re probably sitting in one. On the other hand, some folks prefer to sit on the floor.
Sitting on the floor is a basic feature of their daily routine. For example, eating in some cultural contexts is customary while sitting on the floor.
Let’s look at the 6 most important health benefits of sitting on the floor, as well as some of the disadvantages and typical postures you might try.
Before that, if you are looking to purchase a floor chair, here are our top 15 picks to consider today!
6 Health Benefits of Sitting on the Floor
1. Sitting on the ground helps to improve posture
Sitting on the floor helps to correct your posture by supporting your body. By pressing your shoulders back, it helps straighten your spine and back.
Sitting on the floor promotes strengthening your core, which helps to relieve back pain. The cross-legged sitting stance creates natural curves for both bottom and top backs, effectively stabilizing the back muscles and pelvis.
2. Even when sitting, muscular activity is increased
Long-term chair users are more likely to develop postural issues such as herniated disks and backache. Kneeling and squatting, on the other hand, are referred to as active relaxation postures because they involve constant usage of said lower extremity.
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3. Flexibility is improved by sitting on the floor
The bones of your lower half of the body expand as you sit on the floor, boosting your agility and adding endurance to the legs. Sitting supports healthy mobility throughout the physique by extending your legs, hip, pelvis, and back.
4. Sitting on the ground aids digestion
Sukhasana, a meditation stance in which the practitioner sits mostly on the floor with their legs crossed, aids with digestion. You must extend your bodies gently forward after eating while placing the dish on the floor and then return to the previous position.
Moving your body repeatedly stimulates the core muscles, which promotes the production of gastric enzymes needed, enabling the meal to be metabolized more effectively.
5. Sitting on the ground promotes mental relaxation
Padmasana and Sukhasana, the seated poses, are great for meditation. These poses assist in reducing mental stress. These positions are suggested to enhance the circulation of oxygen throughout the body.
6. Sitting lengthens one’s life
You’ll be surprised to learn how sitting on the ground could extend your life by a few years.
According to a study, individuals who sat on the ground in a cross-legged posture (padmasana) and then were able to get back up without assistance are much more likely to last longer.
The reason for this is that getting out of that position requires a lot of muscle and agility.
How to Sit on the Floor Comfortably
Check out the following seated postures if you want to sit on the floor. It may take a little time to figure out what makes you feel most at ease.
You can also read our article where we’ve discussed how to make sitting on the floor more comfortable.
Kneeling
Kneeling is a typical floor stance that includes a variety of styles. To do so, here is what you will need to follow:
- Begin by standing. Step back with one leg. Place your weight on your front leg.
- Lower the back knee to the floor gently, maintaining both toes mostly on the ground and the ankles bent.
- 3. Overlap your shoulders and hips. Bring your front knee all the way to the floor.
- 4. Knees should be shoulder-width away. Your bottom should be resting on your heels.
You can now rest the soles of both ankles on the floor one by one. The bottoms of the feet will support your buttocks. In Japanese culture, this pose is known as “seiza.”
Bend one knee as well as place your feet flat on the floor to alleviate the pressure off the knees. Kneeling on a mat is yet another choice.
Cross-legged
Cross-legged sitting is yet another classic floor position. To go for it:
- Take a seat on the floor. Bend both knees and extend them out. Put one foot beneath the knee of the opposite leg.
- Place your weight on your hips rather than the feet. Put your stomach over your hips.
- Sit on the edge of a spreadsheet to release the tension on the hips. Cushions could also be placed beneath the knees.
Bent sit
If your knees or ankles are bothering you, try this folded sit:
- Take a seat on the floor. Bend the knees and place both feet on the ground.
- The feet should be broader than hip-width apart. A wider posture will keep your back from curving.
- Keep the stomach in front of the hips.
Side sit
You can transition from the bent sit to the side sit, or “z-sit,” which will flex the thighs:
- Begin in a bowed position. Both knees should be lowered towards the side and placed on the floor.
- Place your right foot’s bottom against the outside of the left thigh.
- Maintain a neutral spine by keeping your hips on the floor.
- Rep in the reverse direction.
Long sit
The quad tendons are stretched by the protracted sit. To sit in this position, first:
1. Take a seat on the floor. Straighten your legs in front of you. Point your toes upward as you flex them.
2. Keep your stomach in front of your hips.
3. To avoid arching the back, sit on the edge of something like a spread blanket.
4. You can also extend your legs broader than shoulder level apart from the long sit. This is known as straddle sitting.
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Squatting
Squatting, also known as the squat sit, helps you seamlessly transition from standing to lying down. To sit in this position, first:
1. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Place your feet firmly on the ground.
2. Lower your bottom carefully until they are just well above the floor.
3. Maintain an erect posture with the chest and shoulders.
What Experts Say About Sitting on Floor
According to a body alignment specialist, moving from a seating to a standing posture on the floor numerous times each day develops the core muscles.
It improves balance, which can also increase and prolong overall general physical and mental health and mobility.
Sitting can also assist you in avoiding falling down as you get age; that’s one of the top reasons for unintended injury-related fatalities among those above 65.
Closing Thoughts
It may show that sitting on the floor benefits are evident, but it may be uncomfortable doing so for quite a long time. You may want to check out the best floor chairs today for added comfort.
