10 Benefits of Sitting Down and Eating

Sitting down and eating has been a part of Indian culture for centuries. Indian culture has always been different from the rest. Sitting on a table and chair and eating have never been a part of Indian tradition. In fact, our ancestors promoted sitting down and eating. Until a few decades ago people used to sit on the floor and eat. Today, however, people find it an old-school tradition without much relevance. Well, that’s not their fault, we are in the era absolutely different from the one in which our ancestors were. But, the benefits of old Indian traditions and customs can’t be ignored just because of the era we are in.

There are so many reasons why our ancestors used to sit on the floor while eating. Ayurveda has it; sitting down and eating is a healthy habit and has a number of benefits to offer. Even today, most people who have fair idea about the benefits of sitting down and eating, continue to sit on the floor while eating. Therefore, in this article shares the 10 benefits of sitting down and eating.

10 Benefits of Sitting down and Eating

#1 It Prompts Your Brain

Sitting down and eating is an old Indian tradition, even scientifically it has been proved to be the right way of eating. When you sit down to eat, you generally sit cross-legged, it is a posture in yoga known as Sukhasana. Basically you do multi-tasking by sitting, eating and doing yoga, all three at the same time. Moreover, this posture puts pressure to the lower spine which facilitates relaxation and calms your mind. In Ayurveda, eating with a calm and peaceful mind helps better digestion. Also, when you sit in Sukhasana to eat, it prompts your brain to prepare the body for digestion.

#2 It Encourages Digestion 

When you sit in Sukhasana or cross-legged to eat your meal, you naturally bend forward to eat and then go back to the normal position to chew and swallow your food. This constant back and forth movement activates your abdominal muscles, increase secretion of stomach acids and prepares it for better digestion.

#3 Sitting down and eating Improves Flexibility

This habit of sitting down and eating also make your body stronger and more flexible. It stretches your muscles around your stomach, knees, spine, hips, spine, ankles, pelvis and lower back, thereby making them more flexible and reducing pain and uneasiness. The regular stretching of these vital muscles make you flexible and fit. Not only has this, but sitting down and eating prevents you from many diseases as well.

#4 Sitting down and eating Improves Posture

When you sit on table and a chair for too long, it induces pain in your back, and lower body ultimately making them stiff and weak. Whereas, sitting in Sukhasana and eating automatically improves your body posture with and prevent you from slouching. When you sit down, you are aware to keep the back straight and spine lengthened which helps in improving your posture. Moreover, expanding your spine and pushing your shoulders back, help you ward off all the frequent pains and aches that are caused by bad posture.

#5 It Keeps the Joints Healthy

The most affected area when you sit down are your joints, sitting on the floor keeps your hip and knee joints healthy. Because when you sit down you stretch your legs, hips, and pelvis, thereby making them more flexible. Constantly bending of the joints for sitting down not only makes them more flexible and keeps them free of diseases, but also ensures proper lubrication in the joints. Also, your core muscles and ankles are strengthened while you sit down for eating.

#6 It Improves Blood circulation

Sitting cross-legged or in Sukhasana for eating improves the blood circulation to all the digestive organs. Sukhasana restricts the flow of blood to the legs to some extend so that extra blood flows to all organs in the abdomen. You won’t get this benefit when sitting on a chair or eating in a standing position. Remember, proper blood circulation is one of the most important requirements of your stomach for digestion.

#7 It Increases Life Expectancy

Researches show, more often than not, people who sit in Sukhasana or cross-legged position for eating and are able to get up without any support are more likely to live longer. The simplest reason behind it is when you sit down while eating it improves your digestion, and a healthy digestion thereupon leads to a healthy body which in turn increases longevity.

#8 It Keeps Your Mind at Peace

You might be surprised to know this, but it is true – Ayurveda has it; sitting down and eating not only ensures all the above benefits, but also it keeps your mind and body at peace. Not to mention, a peaceful mind is essential for better digestion. And what else can be better than sitting down and eating with so many other benefits all in all. 

#9 It Improves Family Bonding

Besides, having multiple health benefits sitting down and eating has various emotional benefits too. Like – it improves family bonding. Initially in our tradition it was sort of compulsory for the entire family to sit together and eat their meals, however, the tradition continued for long until the introduction of modern and nuclear family system. Sitting together over a meal and eating was considered a family activity or a mandate ritual in those days, thereby improving the bond in the family. Not to mention, happy families have relaxed minds and relaxed mind ultimately help in better digestion.

#10 It Keeps You Stay Connected to Your Roots to the Ground

You must have seen people meditating while sitting on the floor and not on a chair. It is because when you sit on the floor, you are connected to the ground, to the roots, thereby making it easier to connect with the spiritual side and becoming more humble and amicable.