| How to Improve Your Posture Posted: 12 Sep 2018 01:00 AM PDT Though improving your posture is no easy feat, having good posture can help you look and feel better. If you find yourself slouching a lot, take steps to work on your posture in all parts of your life, from walking to sleeping. Though improvement takes time, you can use brain tricks to help you remember to correct your posture, as well as try out a few exercises to strengthen your muscles. EditImproving Your Standing and Walking Posture - Find your center by standing up straight and tall. Keep your chin level with the ground, your shoulders back, and your stomach in. Let your arms fall naturally at your sides.[1]
- Place your feet about shoulder-width apart, the same stance you would use for working out.
- Imagine a string holding you up. As you stand tall, imagine a string is coming from the ceiling, pulling you upwards. Keep your lower back inline, and don't move to your tiptoes.[2] Visualization techniques like this one can guide your sense of the proper position you should be in.
- Use a wall to teach yourself correct posture. Stand with your back against a door or wall. Just touch the wall with the back of your head, your shoulders, and your butt. Your heels should be away from the wall. Slide your hand behind your back to check for space.[3]
- You should be able to slide your hand behind your back but only by a little bit. If you have more space than that, pull your bellybutton back towards your spine to help flatten your back a little.
- If you can't slide your hand behind your back, arch your back so that you can.
- Try to hold this position as you move away from the wall, rechecking as needed.
- Have someone tape an X on your back to help correct your posture. Make an "X" from your shoulders to your hips. Add a straight line of tape across your shoulders closing the top of the X. Wear this during the day to help retrain your back.
- This technique works really well if you hold your shoulders back before taping.
- Use a tape meant for skin, such as a medical tape.
- Instead of tape, you can buy a posture corrector online.
- Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. When you rest on your heels, your natural tendency will be to slouch. Instead, stand up straight, shifting your weight forward a bit.[4]
- Now rock back so that your weight is on your heels. Notice the way your entire body shifts into a "slouchy" posture with this single motion.
- Walk as if you have a book balanced on your head. Imagining a book on your head will help you keep your head up and your back straight. If you're having trouble imagining it, try a real book for a few minutes.[5]
- Have a good standing posture while moving. Walking with good posture is simply an extension of standing with good posture. Keep your head up, shoulders back, chest out, and eyes looking straight ahead while you walk.
- Avoid pushing your head forward.
- Pick supportive footwear for standing and walking. Choose shoes that have ample padding to help you hold yourself upright. In addition, make sure they have good arch support. Good posture starts with your feet.[6]
- Avoid shoes with high heels, as they can change your body's alignment.
- If you're standing for long periods, add padding to the floor for additional comfort.
EditImproving Your Sitting Posture - Make sure your back is at a right angle to your thighs. Maintain your thighs at a right angle to your calves. Keep your shoulders straight and squared, your head upright, and your neck, back, and heels aligned.[7]
- Align your back with the back of the office chair. This will help you avoid slouching or leaning forward, which you may find yourself doing after sitting too long at your desk.
- Check your posture by sitting on your hands. Put your hands under your sit bones while you are sitting on the floor. Make sure that your palms are facing down. Adjust your position until you can feel the weight centered on each of your palms. This is your optimal seated position.
- Adjust your legs and keep your feet flat while sitting. Your feet should be flat on the floor, facing forward. Don't cross your legs or ankles. Make your thighs parallel to the floor.[8]
- If your feet don't touch the floor, use a footrest.
- Find a supportive chair to help you maintain good posture. Use a chair that's ergonomically designed for proper support, meaning it supports all of your back, even the curve at the bottom. Also, make sure it's designed for your height and weight.[9]
- If you can't get a new ergonomic chair option, try using a small pillow for lumbar support in the small of your back.
- Adjust your computer monitor to help with your posture. If you work on computers at an office, angle the monitor slightly upward so that it forces you to sit up. However, don't set it so high that you push your chin out to see it.[10]
- You may need to move your chair up or down if you can't angle the monitor properly.
- Adjust your chair and your position so that your arms are flexed, not straight out. Aim for roughly a 75- to 90-degree angle at the elbows. If they are too straight, you're too far back, and if they are more than 90 degrees, you're either sitting too close or you're slouching.
- Make adjustments to your seat to maintain good posture while driving. Adjust your seat to maintain a proper distance from the pedals and steering wheel. If you're leaning forward, pointing your toes, or reaching for the wheel, you're too far away. If you are bunched up with your chin on top of the steering wheel, you're too close.[11]
- Use lumbar support for the curve of your back when possible. Adjust the head rest so the middle of your head rests against it. Your head shouldn't be more than away from the headrest while driving. Keep your back against the seat and your head against the head rest.
- Your knees should be at the same level as your hips or slightly above.
- Good posture is also important for safety in the car. Your car's protective systems protect you best when you are sitting properly in the seat.
- Take standing breaks when you're sitting for long periods. Even if you're using perfect posture while sitting, you need to stand up and stretch or walk every hour or so. Just walking around the room or getting out of your car for a few minutes can help.[12]
- If you tend to get engrossed in your work, set an alarm to remind yourself to take a break.
- In addition, these breaks are also good for your health as your body needs movement throughout the day.
EditMaintaining Good Posture While Sleeping - Provide support for your back with pillows while sleeping. No matter whether you sleep on your back, stomach, or side, adding pillows can help provide support. Basically, you want to add a pillow anywhere there's a space between your body and the mattress.[13]
- For instance, if you sleep on your stomach, which is the worst position for your back and posture, place a flat pillow under your stomach to provide support. Choose a flat pillow or no pillow for your head.
- If you sleep on your back, place a small pillow behind your knees, and choose a supportive pillow for your head.
- If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees and pull them up towards your chest. Pick a pillow for your head that keeps your spine straight, or use a full body pillow.
- Turn your body as 1 unit when laying down. Avoid turning at your waist while you are in bed. Instead, keep your back straight and your stomach muscles tight, and turn your whole body when you want to reposition yourself.
- Sleep with good posture by choosing a comfortable mattress. While you may have heard that one mattress or another is best for a healthy back, the truth is whatever works for you is best. Choose one that lets you rest comfortably and wake up pain free.[14]
- Remember to replace your mattress every decade or so.
- If your mattress isn't providing the support you need, add a board between the box springs and mattress, which should keep it from sagging.[15]
EditUsing Exercise to Improve Your Posture - Improve your core muscles with deep abdominal stretching. Lie on your back, with your legs bent to about 90 degrees at the knee and your feet on the floor. Pull your bellybutton up towards your chest and hold it for 10 seconds.[16]
- Your core muscles are essential to support your posture, so the more you can work them, the better your posture will be.
- Repeat 8 times, and practice it daily.
- Breathe normally during this exercise, as you are training your core to be able to maintain this position during normal activities in daily life.
- Do a shoulder blade squeeze. While sitting in a chair, sit up straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for a count of 5, and then release. Repeat this 3 or 4 times daily.[17]
- Train your muscles for better posture with strength training. Exercises that strengthen the muscles across your upper back and shoulders help you maintain good posture. Try the following strength exercise, with or without hand weights:
- Start by squaring your posture. Extend both arms straight out in front of you with your palms up. Bend your forearms toward your shoulders, trying to touch your shoulder blades with your fingertips.
- Do 10 repetitions with both arms, then alternate 10 reps for each arm by itself.
- Pretend you're a penguin to stretch your shoulders. While you wait for a web page to load or the bread to toast, place your elbows at your side, and touch your shoulders with your hands, creating your "penguin wings." Keeping your hands on your shoulders and your ears aligned, raise both elbows (count 1, 2) and lower them back down (count 1, 2).
- Do as many reps as your wait allows. You'll be surprised how many stretches fit into 30 seconds.
- Use stretching for a sore neck or back. Tilt or stretch your head in all 4 directions over your shoulders (forward, back, left, right), and gently massage your neck. Avoid rolling your head in a circle, as it may cause further strain.
- For another exercise, get on your hands and knees. Curl your back upwards, like a cat, and then do the opposite, dropping your stomach down and curling your back downwards.
- Repeat the exercises a few times each day. Doing them in the morning helps your body stretch out the muscle lethargy from sleep. Doing periodically throughout the day will help to raise your energy level.
- Practice yoga to increase flexibility and help with posture. Yoga is excellent for posture and for your health in general. It can also improve your balance. Yoga works your core muscles, making them stronger and helping you to keep a proper body alignment.
- Yoga will also help by teaching you how to hold an erect posture while sitting, standing, and walking. Look for classes in your area, or scout YouTube for instructional videos.
- Sometimes having a slogan will remind you to correct your posture when you're slouching. When you catch yourself slouching,say in your mind (or out loud) "Don't be a couch,quit the slouch" or something like that. If you want,you could memorise a line from a song that has some connection with slouching or bad posture (e.g Have some composure,where is your posture?).
- Raise screens or books up to eye level instead of looking down to read.
- Balance your load when carrying things to prevent stress and fatigue. If you're carrying a heavy suitcase, for example, change arms frequently.
- Consider getting an ergonomic assessment at work if your job requires you to sit in front of the computer for long periods of time.
- Use color to help you remember to check your posture. Pick a unique color or object as a reminder. Every time you think of that object, check your posture.
- Use an outside reminder to help you remember to check your posture, such as an alarm you set to go off every hour or an app designed for that purpose.
- Consult with a doctor if you are experiencing severe back pain.
- When you begin to correct your posture, you will most likely experience some soreness as your body tries to adjust to something new.
- When you're lifting something off the ground any heavier than your cat, always bend at the knees, not the waist. Your back muscles are not designed for taking the weight, but your leg and stomach muscles are.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations EditQuick Summary
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Clean Velvet Posted: 11 Sep 2018 05:00 PM PDT Velvet is a luxurious and interesting looking fabric that's used on furniture, clothing, and accessories. From time to time, your velvet items will need to be cleaned to ensure that they're looking their best. In most cases, you can clean your velvet items at home, but sometimes you'll have to go to a professional. You should always use special care when cleaning velvet to avoid creasing, stains, and matting of the fabric. EditRemoving Stains - Brush the item with a clothing brush or lint-free cloth before treating. Brushing the velvet will remove dirt and lint, and loosen any mats in the fabric. This prepares the fabric for treatment and can remove caked-on dirt before spot cleaning.[1]
- When brushing accessories, make sure you're getting into corners and areas where there might be hardware to remove dirt and lint.
- Vacuum velvet furniture with the brush attachment. The suction will remove any dirt and lint, and the brush attachment will loosen up mats in the fabric to prepare it for cleaning. Be gentle and don't push too hard on the fabric as you can crush the pile.[2]
- To prevent further stains and dirt from damaging the fabric, you can vacuum your velvet once per week.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda and ½ a cup of lemon juice to treat spots on furniture. You may need to add extra lemon juice to create more foam. You won't be using any of the liquid portion of this mixture, so don't worry about having excess liquid.[3]
- If you're cleaning the entire piece of furniture, you'll probably need to add more baking soda and lemon juice as you work.
- Mix 1 tbsp delicate detergent and 2 cups of water to treat clothing and accessories. Make sure there are a lot of bubbles while you're mixing. If you need to, you can add more water and detergent to create the foam.[4]
- Skim the foam of the mixture with a lint-free cloth. Gently pick up some of the foam that was created by the mixture. You don't need a large amount, just enough to cover the top of the cloth.[5]
- Dab the foam onto to the spot using a lint-free cloth. You can remove excess foam with a dry area of the cloth. Let the area dry and brush it with the cloth or a clothing brush.[6]
- For furniture, you should apply the foam by wiping in long strokes with the nap of the fabric.[7]
- You should test this method in a small, inconspicuous area first, such as the inner lining or hem hem of a piece of clothing if it has velvet on it, or a non-visible portion of the furniture or accessory.
- Allow the item 3-5 hours to dry. Although the mixture might appear to dry quickly, give it some time to completely dry from the fabric and allow the pile of the velvet to return to its original form. Avoid using the item or piece of furniture during this time.[8]
- If the stain is still present, apply another coat and allow it to dry again, repeating until the stain is gone.
- Apply a protective coating to furniture or accessories to avoid new stains. You can find protective coating for velvet furniture at department stores, furniture stores, or online. Make sure you're misting the item by spraying at least away from the fabric, rather than saturating it with the spray.[9]
- After the spray dries, wipe the furniture with a clothing brush or lint-free cloth to remove any mats or creases.
- Protective coatings made specifically for delicate fabrics, such as Scotchguard and Nano Protector, are great solutions for accessories that tend to get dirty quickly. You can also use furniture protector spray to ensure waterproofing for velvet shoes.[10]
- Applying a protective coating might void your item's warranty, so make sure you check the care information before spraying the item with the solution.
EditWashing and Drying Velvet - Check the label closely. The label will tell you most of the information that you need to know for cleaning your velvet item. It will also tell you what the velvet is made out of. There are a few types of velvet, such as pure, polyester blend, and crushed velvet.[11]
- If the tag has an "S" on it, you should treat it with dry cleaning solvents, not water, or get it professionally cleaned. [12]
- Take pure velvet clothing to a dry cleaner. If you have an article of pure velvet clothing, the best way to get it cleaned is at the dry cleaner. They'll be able to treat the clothing and are experts at the best methods for removing dirt and stains from delicate clothing.[13]
- Wash crushed or polyester velvet in cold water with delicate detergent. If your item is a polyester blend or crushed velvet, it's safe to wash in the washing machine. Make sure it's on the cold water setting and use a delicate care detergent.[14]
- Place your velvet in a mesh delicates bag or wash alone to prevent creasing. Other articles of clothing can press against your velvet items in the washer and cause creases or mats in the fabric. A mesh delicates bag can protect the clothing, or you can wash the piece of clothing by itself.[15]
- This method works best for articles of clothing as well as velvet pillow cases, and scarves.
- Lay flat to dry. Velvet should never be put in a dryer. Find a clean, flat surface in a dry area to lay your piece of clothing on. It can take up to 12 hours for a piece of clothing to dry depending on the weight of the material, so be patient. Check on it after a few hours and flip the article over if you think it's not drying evenly.[16]
- Store your velvet items by hanging them in the closet or placing them in a dust cover. Keeping your velvet clothing upright and stored in your closet will help prevent creases and wrinkles. Make sure your other clothing isn't pressing against the velvet and crushing the fabric.
- If your velvet accessory comes with a dust cover, like a purse or a pair of shoes might, use it while you're storing the item. This will prevent dirt and lint from getting into the fabric.
EditPressing Velvet - Use a steamer to remove wrinkles or creases. If your piece of clothing or other velvet item has a wrinkle or crease in the pile, you can use a steamer on its low setting to remove the crease. Hold the steamer about away from the fabric and move the steamer in the direction of the nap.[17]
- For accessories like shoes or purses that tend to be lined or structured, steaming won't work as well. If you have a crease, try brushing it out or placing a form or tissue inside of the accessory to help it maintain its shape.
- Hang the item on a strong hanger in the bathroom while you shower. For some wrinkles, the steam from a hot shower can release the creases and return the item to good as new. Be careful not to get the item wet as water can leave spots on velvet![18]
- Use an iron on the steam setting if you don't have a steamer. You can use an iron on the steam setting to remove wrinkles and creases. Like the steamer, you'll hold the iron about away from the fabric and move the iron in the direction of the nap. Be careful not to touch the velvet with the iron.[19]
- Remove deep creases with a spare piece of velvet and an iron or steamer. Place the spare velvet on the ironing board, pile side up. Then, place your velvet item pile side down on top of the spare velvet. Hover the steamer or iron on steamer setting over the top of the velvet for 15 seconds, repeating until the crease is removed.[20]
- Always try cleaning a small test spot of the velvet first.
- Antique velvet should always be taken to a professional to be treated to avoid ruining the fabric.[21]
EditThings You'll Need EditRemoving Stains - Clothing brush
- Lint-free cloth
- 1 tablespoon delicate laundry detergent
- 2 cups of water
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda
- ½ cup of lemon juice
- Protective coating
EditWashing and Drying Velvet - Delicate laundry detergent
- Mesh bag
- Washing machine
- Hanger
- Dust cover
EditPressing Velvet - Steamer or iron
- Strong hanger
- Ironing board
- Spare piece of velvet
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations EditQuick Summary
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Create a Password You Can Remember Posted: 11 Sep 2018 09:00 AM PDT This wikiHow teaches you how to create a password that's secure and unique while still being memorable. - Know what to avoid. Before figuring out what you want to put in your password, here are a few things that you shouldn't put in your password:[1]
- Pet, family, or friend names
- Words as they appear in the dictionary (e.g., "c@stl3" is fine, while "castle" is not)
- Personal information (e.g., your phone number)
- Public information (e.g., something having to do with your easily researched extracurricular activities)
- Acronyms
- Know the components of a good password. Including all of the following components in your password will make it very difficult for someone to crack it:[2]
- Both upper- and lower-case letters
- Numbers
- Symbols
- At least 12 characters
- Not easily decipherable as a real word or phrase upon first glance
- Consider common password strategies. If you don't have your own method of creating a memorable password, you might want to try one of the following:
- Removing the vowels from a word or phrase (e.g., "Hello darkness my old friend" becomes "hlldrknssmldfrnd").
- Shifting your hands when typing (for example, using the motion that you'd use to type "wikiHow" with your hands shifted down one row on the keyboard).
- Using a cipher (e.g., a page number, paragraph line, and word from a book).
- Doubling your password (e.g., creating a password, typing a space or a separating character, and retyping the password).
- Pick a compound word or phrase that stands out to you. You most likely have several words, a phrase, a title (e.g., an album or a song), or something similar that stands out to you for some reason; such words/phrases make great password bases because they're emotionally relevant to you, but not anyone else.
- For example, you might pick the name of your favorite song from a specific album, or your favorite phrase from a specific book.
- Make sure that you don't pick a word or phrase that people know you like.
- Select a password strategy. You can apply one of the common password strategies mentioned above (e.g., removing vowels), or you can select your own.
- Some experts even recommend finding several random words and stringing them together without modifying them past that point (e.g., "bananacoffeespoonphonecomfortercat").
- Substitute your favorite numbers for letters. If you have a favorite number or two, replace a couple of letters in the password with them.
- Be sure to avoid using obvious substitutions (e.g., 1 for l, 4 for a, etc.).
- Add a character that you like to your password. If you have a favorite character on your keyboard, replace a letter with it, or add it to the beginning of the password to help remember it.
- Most services require this step when creating a password.
- Add an abbreviation for your password's service. For example, if the password is for your work email address, you might add "work email" (or "wrk ml", etc.) to the end of the password. This way, you can use the same base password for most services without repeating the exact password anywhere.
- It's incredibly important not to repeat your password more than once (e.g., don't use your Facebook password for your email account, etc.).
- Consider doubling your password. If your password is only at 8 characters and your selected service (e.g., Facebook) allows for 16 or more characters, simply type the password twice.
- For added security points, hold down the key while typing the second half of the password (e.g., "h@r0ldh@r0ld" would become "h@r0ldH@R)LD").
- Create variations of your password. While adding an abbreviation to the end of your password will help you remember a specific service's password, you'll eventually need to change your passwords altogether. If you're happy with your current password, try typing the password while holding down the key, or capitalize random letters.
- If you replaced any letters with numbers, you might switch back to using letters and use numbers for different letters in the password.
- If you say the letters or numbers to yourself as you type them you will begin to get a rhythm; this will help you to memorize it.
- You might combine several of these methods and still come up with a truly memorable yet very strong passphrase.
- The most secure passwords contain lowercase letters, capital letters, numbers, and symbols. Make a standard of holding down shift for the first four characters, or characters three through seven, or whatever you like. You won't have to stop and remember
- When coming up with a mnemonic sentence, try to make the sentence funny or relevant to yourself. That way you will find it easier to remember the sentence and the password.
- Do not use any of the passwords that are shown as examples on this site! Someone might see this too, and might guess yours. Make up your own!
- Make sure you're not reusing passwords. It may be tempting to only use one or two passwords for all of your logins, but you should have distinct passwords for everything, particularly anything linked to personal or financial information.
- Do not use any number that is a matter of record, such as phone, address, and Social Security numbers.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário