Posture, anxiety and stress

A study done in 2018 by Erik Peper, a professor at San Francisco State University, suggests that when we’re feeling threatened, our natural reaction to fear is to hunch our shoulders down and curl into a defensive crouch.

While this posture protects us from any physical threat or danger, it does the opposite when we’re confronted with emotional or social threats like a difficult conversation with your teenager, or being asked to explain why you’re late in handing in your monthly report, again.

Not only does this hunched posture not protect you from the threat, research shows it can actually make your negative thoughts and the symptoms of your anxiety worse. A 2017 article in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry found fewer negative thoughts and lower anxiety in participants with erect posture.

A 2012 study found that just two or three minutes of slouched walking increased depression and negativity. while two minutes of skipping caused an increase in energy and positive thinking.

Good Posture Changes How You Think

If you’re trying to fill out forms for a job application or taking a test, the last thing you’re thinking about is your posture. But if you can remember to sit up straight and take a few deep breaths, chances are you’re going to feel more focused and will do a better job in filling in those blanks.

In a study done in 2018 by researchers at San Francisco State University, 125 college students were tested to see how well they could do simple maths problems while they were hunched over. They were then tested again while sitting up straight. 56% of those students reported that it was easier to do the maths while sitting upright. They determined that an upright posture gives better access to positive, empowering thoughts and memories. So, when you sit up straight, you’re able to think more clearly, no matter how difficult the task at hand.

It Changes How You Feel About Yourself

Sitting or standing up straight even for a couple of minutes can help you focus on your strengths, restore your self-confidence and help you speak up for yourself, even in challenging circumstances.

In a study done by Pablo Brinol for the European Journal of Social Psychology, 127 students from Ohio State University were asked to list their best and worst qualities while sitting erect, then again while in a slumped posture. Participants sitting upright tended to see themselves in a more favorable light, while those who were hunched were less able to list their strengths.

In her famous Ted Talk, Amy Cuddy shares an experiment that studied people asked to go through a simulated job interview. Before the interviews, some participants assumed a high power posture for two minutes while others were asked to take a low power pose for the same two minutes. Those who assumed a confident position were evaluated much more favorably, and were more likely to be hired by the judges than their slouching peers.

​So there you have it. Any time your boss calls you into his or her office, when you realize you’ve forgotten your notes for the presentation or you’re faced with any kind of “action anxiety,” lift your shoulders, straighten your back, breathe, and take positive action.