Rapidly Enhance Your Mood (No Need for Positive Mentality)
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In this week's "Better You, Backed by Science", we delve into a fascinating science-backed method to enhance mood and energy levels without the need for consciously thinking positive thoughts. The secret lies in the power of posture and movement.
When we're feeling tired or flat, our posture often reflects it—slouched spines, heavy faces, shallow breaths, maybe a frown. But what if we told you that simply changing your posture could have a profound impact on your mood and energy levels?
Three experiments to try this week are switching posture, skip-walking, and setting posture check alarms. The power of sitting up straight lies in its controllability—you can use it to create desired feelings or shift your energy or mood at any moment. By flipping this posture (straightening your spine, relaxing your shoulders, lifting your head, smiling gently, moving with self-assuredness, and conscious breathing), your body can send a new message to your brain: "I feel energized."
Good posture optimizes physical function and influences brain chemistry, which in turn impacts confidence, energy, and emotional state. Upright posture helps improve breathing by allowing full lung expansion, increasing oxygen intake that boosts energy and alertness. Psychologically, good posture is linked to increased self-confidence and reduced anxiety, promoting a more positive mood.
Movement also triggers endorphin release, natural brain chemicals that elevate mood and reduce the perception of pain, providing a physiological basis for the mood-boosting effects of physical activity, including posture changes.
Mindful movement practices such as yoga, tai chi, walking meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation harness the connection between physical sensations and mental state to reduce anxiety and build resilience against stress. These practices emphasize controlled breathing, body awareness, and slow, intentional movements, fostering emotional regulation while improving posture and reducing muscle tension.
To manage stress effectively, you can practice upright posture consciously during sitting and standing to improve energy, mood, and reduce fatigue. Engage in regular physical activity or mindful movement to release endorphins and create mental-physical resilience against stress. Incorporate brief sessions of progressive muscle relaxation or walking meditation to develop body awareness and calm the nervous system.
The link between feelings, posture, and movement is bi-directional, meaning that how you move and hold your body can literally create how you feel. When feeling tired, one slouches, and slouching also makes one feel more tired. Conversely, when feeling alert, sitting up straight can make you feel more alert.
An unexpected stress hack is that when stressed, your movements often become fast and jerky. The usual solution is to rest or try to think yourself calm, but this method also suggests controlling your posture and movement as a way to manage stress. Slowing movements, breathing deeply, and speaking slowly can make your body say "I'm chilled."
In a simple study, two minutes of slouched walking reduced energy levels, while skipping-style walking significantly boosted energy. Changing body movements can affect internal chemistry without consciously thinking positive thoughts. The method referred to is the power pose, such as the confident Wonder Woman or Superman stance.
In a study from New Zealand, researchers found that taping people's backs upright to keep their posture tall for 20 minutes made them feel more energized and positive, and even gave more confident presentations in a surprise stress test. The University of Alaska, Anchorage, demonstrated that mimicking a smile can make one feel more positive, while mimicking a frown can make one feel worse.
Smiling when happy and smiling being able to make one feel happier are examples of bi-directional in action. The power pose makes one feel stronger and more self-assured, and when stressed, controlling your posture and movement can help manage stress.
Subscribe to the free "Better You, Backed by Science" weekly email for more content like this. The tags for this article are bi-directional, confidence, posture, power pose, self-esteem, self-love, smile, stress.
- Changing posture, such as sitting up straight, can impact your mood and energy levels, altering your brain chemistry and increasing self-confidence.
- Engaging in physical activities or mindful movement practices like yoga, tai chi, or walking meditation can release endorphins, improving mental health and fostering emotional regulation.
- Good posture improves not only physical function but also mental health, as it helps reduce anxiety and promote a more positive mood.
- Incorporating education and self-development in the form of resources like "Better You, Backed by Science" can provide valuable insights into using science-backed methods for personal growth, self-love, and improved health and wellness.
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