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The correlation between posture and physical health is well known. However, posture also has a link with your mental health. Various research studies around the world have noted the importance of posture in affecting one’s relationship to people and the world. One study (Carney et al, 2010) has postulated that “power poses” lead to increased testosterone and decreased cortisol levels, which is then associated with social dominance and decreased threat perception.  Another study between Columbia and Harvard Universities argues that stress is increased by bad posture. The study showed that people who adopted powerful postures, open shoulders, and straight spines had a 20% increase in testosterone levels and a 25% decrease in cortisol levels, resulting in a lower feeling of stress. Those who slouched had a 10% decrease in testosterone and a 15% increase in cortisol, resulting in a higher feeling of stress.
As the brain-body connection rightly continues to permeate the wellness industry, more studies show the correlation between poor posture and a poor state of mind. So, if you spend increased periods of time sitting with your shoulders slouched (like looking at a computer) it's important to take note of the side effects of this as well as how to counteract them. Strong evidence points to poor posture as an exacerbating factor in various states of negative mood. Indeed, we now know that a slumped or collapsed posture increases people's feelings of anxiety or depression, while a straightened spine helps them feel more alert. Furthermore, the shoulders back position lowers the levels of anxiety as well. This phenomenon is also responsible for an increase in energy. With less compression, your muscles are better able to perform vital functions without the extra work. The science behind this connection may be surprising but sitting or standing in better alignment really can make a difference. If you’ve ever tried yoga, you may have heard of “power poses”, which are upright positions that help boost energy and confidence. If you haven’t done yoga, you’ve probably noticed how you feel more positive mentally when in a more upright posture. Turning again to science, a San Francisco State University study examined how students recalled and thought about past experiences, both good and bad. The group was told to recall both negative and positive experiences twice – once while sitting up straight, the other while slouching over. The results showed that 86% of the students who were in a slumped position found it easier to recall negative emotions or experiences. On the contrary, 87% of the students found it much easier to recall positive experiences when sitting up straight. These same principles can be applied to your everyday life. Remember, being slumped over can cause issues you may not be consciously aware of. Additionally, slouching is seen as a position of defeat. Sitting or standing up straighter can help positive feelings and memories emerge instead of more unmotivated/hopeless feelings. Anxiety, depression, and stress can all become serious issues. Being more aware of your posture can help. Making small changes like consistently sitting taller with your back straight can make a difference. Consider how you may be sitting right now, is your back straight and your head upright? We often spend hours slouching without even realizing it. Changing this is a process that takes practice and discipline but in the end, it’s worth it. I’ll leave you with a quote from Psychology Today… “If you have depression that’s causing serious distress and interfering with your daily life, good posture is no substitute for professional treatment. But as an addition to treatment, reminding yourself to sit or stand up straight can help you feel more upbeat and energetic.”
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Did you know that there is a correlation between your posture and level of alertness and ability to concentrate? With better posture, not only do you look better and feel better, but you have the ability to sit upright and be more engaged in conversations and learning experiences. You are more alert and aware of your surroundings, and are in a posture or position to make quicker and more precise movements. Just think, when you look around a classroom full of students, you can easily spot the students who are paying attention and learning, compared to those who are disinterested just by observing their sitting posture.  What postural presentation do the students (or worker) who are falling asleep have?
They are slumped forward on their desk in a flexion dominant posture, or they are slouched low in their chairs with anterior pelvic translation. What postural presentation does an alert student (or worker) maintain? Alert students are sitting high in their chairs. They are seated upright and engaged. Their level of engagement is much higher than the students who are half asleep with slumped posture. Because of the connection of posture and consciousness, research also demonstrates that with proper posture there is better cognitive performance (Muehlhan, 2014). Not only are students who have proper posture in class taking care of their spine, joints and muscles, they also have a higher level of engaged learning and cognitive performance. The same is true for modern day office workers. While sitting at their desks performing work, by shifting their posture to be more upright, they will be that much more conscious of the work they are doing and engage at a higher level of productivity. Their concentration is improved, as is their lung capacity and circulation. It's a win-win. The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USA) states the term “posture” refers to the position in which we hold our bodies. We rely on our postural muscles to maintain balance, prevent the forces of gravity from pushing us forward, and move in ways that place the least strain on supporting muscles and ligaments. Many of us spend a large part of our work day in a relatively static position, so it’s important that our bodies are positioned correctly. In this post, we highlight the benefits of correct posture.  Numerous factors can contribute to poor posture, including tight or weak muscles, stress, obesity, and wearing unsupportive shoes. Poor posture can lead to back pain, breathing problems, and headaches—and it can even impact mood. (Harvard Health Publishing.)
It’s important to recognise that posture can have a profound impact on your health and well-being, as well as your ability to thrive at work. Improving your posture may provide the following benefits: 1. Increased Confidence Correcting your posture can impact the way you feel about yourself. One study found that students who held an upright, confident posture were much more likely to have confidence in their thinking—and performed better on math tests. Feeling more confident in your ideas at work will ultimately help you succeed. 2. More Energy Poor posture can negatively affect energy levels, resulting in fatigue. Practicing good body alignment may help you remain focused and energized at work. Whether you’re delivering packages or caring for patients, correct posture can allow you to power through the day more easily. 3. Greater Self-Esteem and Better Mood In addition to giving you more energy, better posture can also reduce depressive feelings and improve your self-esteem and mood. Feeling good about your professional life often starts with feeling positive about yourself. 4. Easier Breathing When the body is aligned correctly, it’s easier to breathe. Slouching can reduce lung capacity, leading to shortness of breath. Having difficulty breathing can impact your ability to do your best work. To breathe more life into your lungs, try altering your posture. 5. Less frequent headaches Bad posture creates tension in the upper back, neck, and shoulders, leading to headaches that manifest as throbbing pain in the base of the skull and sometimes the forehead. Headaches are no fun, so this is an incentive to have good posture. 6. Reduced Risk of Injury Proper posture can help you avoid injury, especially to your back, shoulders, arms, and wrists. One of the most common reasons people see a doctor or miss days of work is back pain. It’s particularly important to have good standing posture, as standing for long periods of time is associated with short-term adverse health issues, such as back pain, fatigue, and leg cramps. 7. Boosted Productivity Research shows that posture impacts productivity. If you’re in pain, injured, or fatigued, or if you lack self-confidence, you will likely have trouble staying focused and productive at work. Because improving your posture can positively impact your mental and physical health, it enables you to be a more productive member of the team. As stated in the American CEO magazine, we all know that a sedentary lifestyle yields medical challenges like weight gain, heart disease and kidney failure. Did you know, though, how you sit can also jeopardize work performance? Poor posture affects productivity, by learning how to sit properly, you can boost brain function and accomplish more during the day.  Body Language Affects Mood
The way you sit can make you happy, sad or depressed. It sounds strange, but researchers at Ohio State University found that nodding or shaking your head affects your attitude, even if it’s unintentional. Erik Peper, a Dutch behavioral scientist also researched this topic. He found two key facts about posture that will help you on the job, today: 1. Sitting straight increases the likelihood that you'll think positively. The next time you struggle with a negative attitude or workplace drama, sit straight. Your mood and mindset will change, allowing you to focus on work and get more done. 2. Skipping during regular breaks increases energy levels, but walking while slouching or slumping drains your energy. During your next break, stand up straight and skip down the hall to the copy room, bathroom or lunchroom. Your co-workers might look at you funny, but you'll face all the projects on your desk with renewed energy. Posture Affects Hormones Difficult tasks, hostile clients or boring projects take the fun out of work. However, if any of these productivity killers affect you, use posture to your advantage. Simply stand up and extend your arms and legs. Stretching as tall and wide as possible expresses your power and tells your brain that you're ready to tackle anything. Researchers at Columbia University and Harvard University concur that posture affects hormones. People who stand in powerful, expansive poses experience decreased cortisol and increased testosterone levels. This hormone combination increases leadership ability and disease resistance. A powerful pose can also help you take risks and land new clients, ask for a raise, or approach a problem resourcefully. What does this all mean? When you need to do something you'd rather not do, like start a huge project, call a challenging client, or write a cumbersome report, stand tall or sit straight instead of hunching. Your expansive posture will assist you in doing the tasks that stand between you and success. Get Moving! To be more productive, get moving. Regular movement provides many benefits, physically and mentally. To stay moving when your job requires regular sitting, incorporate bursts of physical activity into your daily routine. At least twice every hour, stand and walk. Move around your office, walk to the break room to refill your water bottle or walk down the hall and back. The break resets your posture and prevents you from sitting in one spot too long. Ready to be more productive at work? Keep your posture in check and enjoy the many benefits. 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. |