The Mood Boosting Benefits of Good Posture
Good posture can make you appear confident and put together on the outside, and there is scientific evidence that how you carry yourself impacts your emotions, thoughts, memories, and mental performance. Bringing awareness to how you are sitting and standing throughout the day and making small changes can bring about significant improvements in mental, emotional, and physical health in the short term and over time.
When we become stressed or worried, it is natural to adopt a protective posture, or one that is collapsed and slouched. Research has shown when participants are asked to adopt this type of posture, they report more feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, tend to recall and become stuck on negative memories, and experience mental difficulty while performing tasks. This type of posture also leads to chronic patterns of muscle tension and pain. Conversely, researchers have shown that when we adopt an upright posture and look up, we are more likely to have more energy, feel stronger, find it easier to do mental tasks, feel confident and more empowered, and recall more positive memories. One study showed that students rated a math exercise as significantly more difficult when they adopted a slouched posture. This effect was even more pronounced in those with test anxiety.
To experience how posture affects memory and feelings, try the following exercise (really, try it!):
Think of a memory/event when you felt defeated, hurt or powerless and put your body in the posture that you associate with this feeling. Make it as real as possible. Stay with the feeling and associated body posture for 30 seconds. Let go of the memory and posture. Observe what you experienced.
Think of a memory/event when you felt empowered, positive and happy and put your body in the posture that you associate with those feelings. Make it as real as possible. Stay with the feeling and associated body posture for 30 seconds. Let go of the memory and posture. Observe what you experienced.
Adapt the defeated posture and now recall the positive empowering memory while staying in the defeated posture. Observe what you experience.
Adapt the empowering posture and now recall the defeated hopeless memory while staying in the empowered posture. Observe what you experience. *
Most people who do this exercise report that it is much easier to access emotions while in the corresponding posture as compared to the body posture that was opposite to the emotions. Paying attention to and adjusting your posture throughout the day is a simple way to promote mental sharpness and a sense of wellbeing.
Good posture is upright, yet relaxed, to promote the free flow of breath into the abdomen and minimize muscle tension. Slouched or slumped posture hinders the movement of the diaphragm and restricts breath to the chest. We also know that slow, belly breathing lower blood pressure, calms the nerves, and eases muscle tension. Here are a few tips:
When seated:
Keep your back upright yet supporting natural curves of the spine.
Do not arch your back or tuck your pelvis under.
Avoid crossing your legs as this can tilt the pelvis.
Allow shoulders to drop down away from the ears, allow the muscles of the abdomen, face, neck, jaw, and space between eyebrows to soften.
Drop the chin slightly so the neck is neutral.
Pay close attention to any muscle tension that occurs with repetitive activities such as typing, talking on the phone, etc.
When standing:
Same as seated, except stand with feet shoulder width apart with feet parallel or toes very slightly turned out.
Other ways to improve your posture include strengthening your core and back muscles through exercise and mindfulness practices like yoga. Try sitting on the floor or a cushion while watching TV or reading, to strengthen your muscles and avoid the slouched posture that a comfy couch can bring about. Working on your posture takes patience and practice, but the research is compelling that it is worth the effort.
References available on request. *Posture exercise from Erik Peper PhD, adapted from Alan Alda.