How to sit on the floor more comfortably and benefits of sitting on the floor

This is not the first time I write about benefits of sitting on the floor. In fact, I have been advocating floor sitting for quite some time now.

I grew up in Japan where sitting on the floor is very common for ordinary activities such as eating, social gathering. The significance of this activity was not apparent to me until I had moved to the United States and lived several years (I have been in the United States since 1997). It just dawned on me one day when I realized that sitting on the floor is challenging for many people in this country. I certainly took it for granted.

The impact on our body this activity or a lack of has is very significant. It is actually the act of moving into and out of sitting on the floor that affects our body than sitting on the floor itself. Sitting on the floor requires a lot more movement and mobility of all joints than sitting in a chair or couch. You will also be moving a lot more while sitting on the floor than in a chair, so sitting on the floor provides more movement options. Over the years, the body will adapt to physiological demands, so if you use it, you’ll keep it, and if you don’t use it, you will lose it. Consequently you will get stronger, more flexible, and more agile if you use your body more by adapting to floor sitting. Makes sense, right?

If you haven’t done floor sitting in a long time, you will need to give your body a plenty of time to adjust and adapt to new demands. Sitting on the floor right away may not be reasonable, so you may first sit on a low chair, which will require more movements than a higher chair, then gradually lower yourself closer to the floor. You will also need to start with a short duration like during TV commercial breaks then gradually increase time.

In the video below I share some tips and strategies on how to sit on the floor more comfortably.