By Dr. Conn, Biophysics Chiropractic

February is Heart Health Month, and when most people think about heart health, they think about diet, exercise, cholesterol, or blood pressure. All of those matter — but there’s another important factor that’s often overlooked: posture.

Your posture doesn’t just affect your spine. It directly influences how well you breathe, how efficiently blood flows, and how hard your heart has to work throughout the day — something we focus on at Biophysics Chiropractic in San Diego CA.

Let’s talk about why alignment plays a bigger role in heart health than most people realize.

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Posture and Breathing Go Hand in Hand in San Diego CA

Your heart and lungs work as a team. Oxygen enters the body through the lungs, and the heart delivers that oxygen to every tissue and organ.

When posture collapses — rounded shoulders, forward head, compressed chest — breathing becomes shallow. The lungs can’t fully expand, and the diaphragm can’t do its job efficiently.

Shallow breathing means:

• Less oxygen intake

• Increased stress on the heart

• Higher nervous system stress

• Quicker fatigue

Good posture opens the chest, allows deeper breaths, and improves oxygen delivery — giving your heart the support it needs.

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How Poor Posture Affects Blood Flow

Blood flow depends on space. When the spine and rib cage are compressed, it can affect circulation through the chest, neck, and shoulders.

Poor posture can:

• Restrict blood flow to the head and upper body

• Increase tension around major blood vessels

• Force the heart to work harder to circulate blood

When posture improves, the body becomes more open and efficient. Blood can move more freely, and the cardiovascular system doesn’t have to compensate as much.

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The Nervous System–Heart Connection

Your heart is regulated by the autonomic nervous system — the part of your nervous system that controls things you don’t consciously think about, like heart rate and blood pressure.

When posture is poor, it can irritate the nervous system and keep the body in a low-grade stress response. Over time, this can:

• Elevate heart rate

• Increase blood pressure

• Reduce heart-rate variability

• Contribute to fatigue and tension

Better alignment supports a calmer nervous system, which allows the heart to function more efficiently.

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Why This Matters Long-Term

Heart health isn’t just about avoiding disease — it’s about how efficiently your body functions every day.

Good posture supports:

• Better breathing

• Healthier circulation

• Improved oxygen delivery

• Reduced stress on the heart

• Greater energy and resilience

Small improvements in alignment can have meaningful long-term effects on how your heart and body work together.

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How Chiropractic Care Supports Heart Health

At Biophysics Chiropractic, my focus is on improving alignment so the body can function more efficiently from the inside out.

Through gentle, precise chiropractic care, we work to:

• Open the chest and rib cage

• Improve spinal alignment

• Support healthier breathing patterns

• Calm the nervous system

When posture improves, breathing improves.

When breathing improves, circulation improves.

And when circulation improves, the heart benefits.

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A Final Thought

Heart health isn’t just about what you eat or how often you exercise. It’s also about how your body is aligned, how you breathe, and how efficiently your systems work together.

Your posture plays a bigger role than you might think.

If you’re curious how posture and alignment may be affecting your breathing, circulation, or overall health, I invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation. Together, we’ll take a closer look at how your body is functioning — and how we can support it naturally.

 

Biophysics Chiropractic, where you're always part of the family.