The Overlooked Downside of Sitting #1 – Breathing
Breathing is supposed to be automatic, effortless, and deeply connected to the movement of your diaphragm.
But for most of us, the simple act of sitting, especially in a chair, quietly disrupts that natural rhythm.
Here’s how it happens:
1. The pelvis tucks, and the diaphragm loses space
When you sit on a chair, your hips tend to roll backward into a posterior tilt (as shown in the graph above).
This collapses the lower ribs and shortens the front of the body.
With less vertical space, the diaphragm can’t descend fully, and your breath becomes shallower without you meaning to.
2. The rib cage drifts out of alignment
Good breathing depends on the rib cage being “stacked” over the pelvis.
Chair sitting often pushes the ribs forward or down, disrupting this alignment.
Your body switches to upper-chest breathing: A less efficient, more stressful pattern.
3. Overactive hip flexors interfere with the diaphragm
Chairs shorten the hip flexors, especially the psoas, which attaches to the spine near the diaphragm.
When tight, the psoas subtly changes spinal position and limits diaphragm movement.
The result: you unconsciously breathe with accessory muscles in your neck and shoulders instead.
4. The core becomes passive, and breathing compensation increases
The backrest makes your stabilizers “switch off.”
A less supported spine means the diaphragm must work harder against a collapsed structure.
This shifts breathing away from the belly and into the upper chest.
5. Shallow breathing becomes your default
Over time, the body adopts this pattern as normal.
You may never notice how tense and effortful your breathing has become—until you change the way you sit.
The Floor Makes Breathing Easier—Naturally
Floor sitting encourages a neutral pelvis, longer spine, and a rib cage that opens instead of collapsing.
With better alignment and more space, your diaphragm can finally move the way it’s designed to.
When your posture changes, your breathing changes—automatically.
And sometimes, the simplest shift (like sitting on the floor) creates the biggest relief.
