How Slouching Affects Health and Energy Levels

Breathing and Digestion: How Slouching Affects Both—and How Integrative Chiropractic Care May Help

Most people think slouching is only about back or neck pain. But posture can affect much more than that. The way you sit, stand, and hold your head can change how well you breathe and how well your digestive system works.

When you slouch, your chest caves in and your abdomen gets compressed. That can make it harder for your diaphragm (your main breathing muscle) to move well. It can also put pressure on your stomach and intestines. Over time, this may contribute to shallow breathing, low energy, and digestive problems like heartburn, acid reflux (GERD), bloating, and constipation. (UCLA Health, 2024; BreatheWorks, 2023).

Integrative chiropractic care looks at this whole-body connection. It does not only focus on pain. It may also include posture correction, spinal and rib mobility work, soft-tissue care, breathing retraining, and lifestyle support. Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, regularly emphasizes this kind of broader, integrative approach in his educational content and clinical wellness materials.

Why Posture Matters for Breathing

Your lungs need room to expand. Your diaphragm also needs room to move downward when you inhale. If you sit hunched over with rounded shoulders and a forward head, your rib cage and chest wall do not move as freely.

UCLA Health explains that a rounded back can leave the chest “caved in,” which reduces space for the lungs to expand fully. That can make you feel like you cannot get a full breath.

Other posture-focused clinical and therapy sources also describe this same pattern:

• Poor posture is linked with poor diaphragm mobility

• Chest and lung expansion may be reduced

• Breathing often becomes shallow and upper-chest dominant instead of diaphragmatic

What Happens When Breathing Becomes Shallow?

When breathing becomes shallow, your body often compensates by using the neck and upper chest’s accessory muscles instead of the diaphragm. This can create a cycle of tightness and fatigue.

Common effects of shallow breathing and poor posture may include:

• Neck and shoulder tension

• Upper chest tightness

• Feeling tired more often

• Reduced exercise tolerance

• Feeling “air hungry” or unable to take a deep breath

• More stress and tension during the day

Dr. Jimenez’s posture and breathing content also notes that chest breathing often relies more on neck and collarbone muscles, while poor posture weakens the body’s ability to maintain a stable upright position.

The Diaphragm’s Role in Breathing and Digestion

The diaphragm is not only a breathing muscle. It also helps with pressure control inside the trunk. When it moves well, it supports:

• Better lung expansion

• Better rib motion

• Core stability

• Gentle pressure changes that help abdominal organs move and function normally

That is one reason posture can affect both breathing and digestion simultaneously.

BreatheWorks explains how poor posture can compress the diaphragm and the digestive tract, worsening breathing and digestion. They also note that shallow breathing may reduce the normal “diaphragmatic massage” effect on the intestines.

What Research Says About Slouched Posture and Breathing

A published study in BioMed Research International compared upright sitting with slouched sitting in healthy young adults. The researchers found a significant difference in respiratory muscle strength (measured by sniff nasal inspiratory pressure, or SNIP) between upright and slouched positions. In simple terms, posture changes breathing muscle performance.

This matters because it supports a very practical point: posture is not only cosmetic. It can directly change how the breathing system works.

Key Takeaway From the Research

Even in healthy people:

• Slouched sitting can reduce respiratory muscle function

• Upright posture can support stronger breathing mechanics

That helps explain why many people feel more short of breath, tense, or fatigued after long periods of sitting hunched over a desk, phone, or steering wheel.

How Slouching Can Affect Digestion

Your digestive organs need space and coordinated motion. When you slouch, your abdomen is compressed. This can affect how food moves through the digestive tract.

UCLA Health notes that slouched posture can slow digestion and place pressure on the abdomen, which may trigger heartburn and acid reflux.

BreatheWorks and several chiropractic posture resources also describe similar effects, including:

• Compression of the stomach and esophageal sphincter (which may worsen reflux)

• Increased abdominal tension

• Less efficient gut motility

• Bloating and constipation symptoms in some people

Why Reflux May Feel Worse When Slouching

Reflux (GER/GERD) happens when stomach contents move back up into the esophagus. NIDDK explains that GERD can occur when the lower esophageal sphincter becomes weak or relaxes when it should not.

Posture is not the only cause of GERD, but body position and abdominal pressure can influence symptoms. When you hunch forward, you may increase pressure on the stomach area and reduce the space needed for healthy mechanics around the diaphragm and esophagus. This can make reflux symptoms more noticeable in some people. This fits with the posture-mechanics explanation described by UCLA Health and BreatheWorks.

How Slouching May Contribute to Constipation and Bloating

Constipation has many causes (diet, hydration, medications, activity level, routine changes, and medical issues). NIDDK makes it clear that constipation is a condition with different possible causes and is not a disease by itself.

That said, posture can still play a supportive role in digestion:

• Slouching compresses the abdomen

• Deep breathing becomes harder

• Trunk and pelvic floor tension can increase

• Movement patterns may get worse (especially with prolonged sitting)

BreatheWorks and posture-focused clinical articles describe how poor alignment and shallow breathing may worsen bloating, constipation, and post-meal discomfort in some people.

The “Breathing–Digestion–Nervous System” Link

Breathing and digestion are both tied to your nervous system, especially the balance between:

• Sympathetic (“fight or flight”)

• Parasympathetic (“rest and digest”)

When posture is poor and breathing is shallow, people often feel more tense. Some clinicians and chiropractic wellness sources describe how this can reinforce a stress pattern that is not ideal for digestion.

BreatheWorks specifically mentions reduced vagal tone and breathing-related effects on gut motility in the setting of poor posture and dysfunctional breathing patterns. While this is a clinical framework (and not a stand-alone diagnosis), it helps explain why some people notice both digestive and breathing symptoms at the same time.

Common Posture Habits That Can Trigger These Problems

Many people do not notice they are slouching until symptoms build up. These habits are common triggers:

• Sitting at a desk for long hours

• Looking down at a phone (“text neck” posture)

• Slouching while driving

• Hunching over while eating

• Rounded shoulders during laptop or tablet use

• Weak core and upper back endurance

Total Health Chiropractic lists several of these everyday posture patterns and explains how they can lead to forward head posture and reduced chest/rib motion.

Signs Your Posture May Be Affecting Breathing or Digestion

You may want to look more closely at posture if you notice:

Breathing-related signs

• Shallow breathing

• Frequent sighing

• Tight neck/upper traps

• Trouble taking a deep breath

• Feeling winded while sitting or after meals

Digestion-related signs

• Heartburn or reflux that feels worse when slouched

• Bloating after meals

• Feeling full quickly

• Constipation (especially with lots of sitting)

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• Chest/upper abdominal pressure during meals

These symptoms can come from many causes, so posture is not the only issue. But posture can be a “hidden contributor” that worsens symptoms. UCLA Health, BreatheWorks, and other posture-focused sources all point to this pattern.

How Integrative Chiropractic Care May Help

Integrative chiropractic care may help by improving body mechanics, movement, and posture habits that influence breathing and digestion. This approach is often broader than a simple adjustment.

Posture and movement assessment

A chiropractor may check:

• Head position (forward head posture)

• Rounded shoulders

• Thoracic spine stiffness

• Rib cage mobility

• Pelvic position

• How you sit, stand, and breathe

Dr. Jimenez’s integrative medicine materials specifically mention posture analysis as a helpful way to identify habits affecting breathing, stress, sleep, and energy.

Spinal and rib mobility work

Restricted movement of the thoracic spine and rib cage can make chest expansion more difficult. Several chiropractic and PT sources describe how restoring motion in these regions may help people breathe more easily.

Diaphragm-friendly posture retraining

The goal is to create more space for the diaphragm and lungs by improving alignment. This often includes:

• Sitting with hips supported and feet flat

• Stacking ears over shoulders

• Gently opening the chest

• Avoiding collapsed, rounded sitting

• Resetting posture during the day

Breathing retraining

Many patients need help shifting from upper-chest breathing to diaphragmatic breathing. BreatheWorks emphasizes this connection and describes breath/posture work as part of an integrative plan for reflux and digestive complaints.

Whole-person support

Integrative care may also include:

• Ergonomic advice

• Mobility exercises

• Soft-tissue work

• Stress management strategies

• Nutrition and eating-position guidance

• Co-management with primary care or GI specialists when needed

Dr. Jimenez’s recent gut-health content highlights this whole-body approach while also noting that the goal is to improve function and support the body—not to replace GI diagnosis or specialist care.

Simple Daily Tips to Improve Posture, Breathing, and Digestion

These habits can help support both systems:

During work

• Sit tall with your screen at eye level

• Keep both feet flat on the floor

• Take a 1–2 minute standing break every 30–60 minutes

• Do 3–5 slow diaphragmatic breaths each break

During meals

• Avoid eating while hunched over

• Sit upright with your chest open

• Slow down chewing

• Take calm breaths before and after eating

During the day

• Walk more (even short walks help)

• Stretch your chest and upper back

• Strengthen your mid-back and core

• Check your head position often (ears over shoulders)

These are simple but powerful changes, especially for people who sit a lot.

When to Seek Medical Care

Posture work can help, but it is important not to ignore serious symptoms.

See a medical professional promptly if you have:

• Chest pain

• Trouble swallowing

• Vomiting that does not stop

• Blood in vomit or stool

• Black/tarry stool

• Unexplained weight loss

• Severe constipation or ongoing abdominal pain

NIDDK lists these as important warning signs of GERD and other digestive problems that may require medical evaluation.

Final Thoughts

Slouching does more than change how you look. It can reduce diaphragm motion, limit lung expansion, and compress the abdomen. That combination may lead to shallow breathing, lower energy, and digestive symptoms like reflux, bloating, and constipation—especially in people who sit for long periods.

The good news is that posture can be improved. Integrative chiropractic care may help by restoring spinal and rib mobility, improving posture habits, supporting breathing mechanics, and reducing stress on the body. Dr. Alexander Jimenez’s clinical observations and integrative wellness approach reflect this whole-body model, which connects posture, breathing, and daily function.

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References

• Albarrati, A., Zafar, H., Alghadir, A. H., & Anwer, S. (2018). Effect of upright and slouched sitting postures on the respiratory muscle strength in healthy young males. BioMed Research International.

• BreatheWorks. (2023, updated). Posture and gut health: How breathing and alignment affect digestion and reflux.

• Capital Area Physical Therapy. (2025, January 27). Is poor posture affecting your breathing?.

• Harvard Health Publishing. (2023, July 20). 3 surprising risks of poor posture.

• Jimenez, A. (n.d.). Breathing and posture: EP’s chiropractic team. DrAlexJimenez.com.

• Jimenez, A. (n.d.). Integrative medicine (category page / clinical wellness framework). DrAlexJimenez.com.

• Jimenez, A. (2025). Chiropractic gut health and detox for bloating & reflux relief. DrAlexJimenez.com (AMP version).

• LinkedIn. (n.d.). Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC profile.

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (n.d.). Acid reflux (GER & GERD) in adults.

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (n.d.). Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (n.d.). Definition & facts for constipation.

• Peak Chiropractic Portland. (2025, June 13). 7 ways posture correction improves your health.

• Total Health Chiropractic. (2022, August 3). Can poor posture affect the way you breathe?.

• UCLA Health. (2024, June 6). Why good posture matters.

• New Life Chiropractic. (2025, October 17). How poor posture affects your breathing (and how chiropractic can help).

• Scoliosis Center of Utah. (2025, May 13). How poor posture impacts digestion: Chiropractic solutions.