Posture and Mental Health

Christmas time can either be a joyous occasion or a stretch of our mental health.

The expectations of family, extra financial stress in buying presents, and increase in sugary foods and alcohol all contribute. Below are some coping mechanisms to help deal with this stress by improving our posture.

Easy Ways to Boost Mood Through Posture

While Standing

Stand normally with arms on either side of your body. Bring the shoulders up, then drop them gently back and down. This should straighten your upper spine. Tuck your pelvis forward slightly, bringing your rear away from your body. Do not tilt it so dramatically so that your back starts to have a reversed “C” curve. Your back should look relatively straight and your rear should stick out slightly.

While Sitting

Sit up straight and bring the shoulders up and down gently to straighten the upper spine. Tilt the pelvis forward slightly. It will feel as if you are ready to take action at any moment and you will feel more alert. Start sitting and standing this way for a few minutes a day just until it starts to hurt. When you think about it during the day, correct your alignment. Within a few months, it will become second nature to stand and sit this way.

Try Power Poses

According to Amy Cuddy, standing in what she calls, “power poses” can have a significant influence on your mood. These poses will improve your mood and help stretch the muscles. Stand in each pose for about 2 minutes at a time, several times a day.

In addition to standing with good posture, Cuddy recommends standing in the “wonder woman” power pose with both feet spread far apart and hands on the hips.

The “victory” pose, where you stand with feet together, arms straight up in a V-shape, and your chin tilted upward, can also influence your mood by making you feel more powerful and in control.

Try to Stand More Often

Sitting for extended periods isn’t healthy for a variety of reasons. Aside from slouching and alignment issues, sitting can also cause circulation problems, lead to blood clots, and hamper effective digestion. All of these issues can lead to a lower mood and an increased chance of feeling depressed.

Simply by standing for long periods throughout the day, you can improve your mood and mental health. Start small, by taking standing and walking breaks for 10 minutes out of every hour.

From there, move to longer periods of standing or walking. Treadmill desks and standing desks are gaining in popularity and can help prevent some of the problems associated with office jobs.

Walk More

Exercise has been linked with better mental health for decades. The benefits of walking are even greater if the walker maintains proper posture during daily walks.

According to studies, individuals see the greatest health benefits when they walk at least 8,000 steps a day, which is around 7-8 km. This walking can occur at the office, at home, and on scheduled exercise trips. A pedometer can help you track the number of steps you take in a day.