The Science Behind Posture and our Health
- Amanda Giraud
- Jun 22, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 10, 2020
I have always been fascinated with watching peoples posture even long before I was a Massage Therapist. Noticing the tilt of the head, the slouch of the shoulders or the twist in a spine can be so dramatically different from one individual to another. As a child I remember my mother constantly correcting me to sit up straight without really understanding its importance, feeling rather annoyed by her words. But as I got older, I began to pay attention to people and my surroundings and realized that posture can have a significant effect on how we carry ourselves through the world. In Grade 7, I remember our poor substitute teacher Mrs. L stepping into our classroom- a frail woman, with slouched shoulders, along with a submissive gaze, staring at the floor. Within minutes, the dynamic of the classroom had changed. The once well-behaved students with their regular teacher, turned into an unruly bunch, giving poor Mrs. L a run for her money. Her posture and demeanour had set the stage for what would be an agonizing day of trying to regain control of the classroom. Every student knew they had the upper hand in this battle between Mrs. L's control and their retaliation.
Whenever your body language and posture do not match you words, your verbal message is lost. As we saw with Mrs L, she couldn't maintain a sense of authority because her posture and body language were saying one thing (vulnerable and fragile) and but her words were conveying something else (having power and control). The way we move our bodies affects how others see us as well as our own moods and habits. In terms of scientific research, posture and body language can overlap significantly. The way we stand, sit and walk, actually has more longer reaching implications on our mood and happiness than we thought and some of the latest studies reveal it ( Buffer, 2013).
Dutch Behavioural Scientist Erik Peper has done extensive studies in this field. Here are three fascinating things that happened in his research with postural changes.
When we sit up straight, we are more likely to remember positive memories or think of something positive in general.
When we skip, we can significantly increase our energy levels.
A slow slumped walk can drain us of our energy. Participants in Dr Peper's study who experienced clinical depression, felt more depressed when carrying out the slow slumped walk exercise.
Other research has shown there may be a correlation of "good posture" and memory retention. The key to good posture is the position of your spine. Your spine has three natural curves - at your neck, mid back, and low back. Correct posture should maintain these curves, but not increase them. Your head should be above your shoulders, and the top of each shoulder should be above each hip. Good posture enhances ones breathing and allows the body to take in more oxygen increasing cognition of the brain. Did you know your brain uses 25% of all the oxygen in your body?
Research from Kellogg School of Management at North Western University discovered that " Posture Expansiveness", positioning oneself in a way that opens up the body and takes up space, activated a sense of power that produced behavioural changes in a subject independent of their actual role in an organization. In fact, it was consistently found across three studies that posture mattered more than hierarchy in making a person think, act, and be perceived in a more powerful way.
Amy Cuddy's Ted Talk revealed that posture can actually affect hormone levels in the body. https://youtu.be/Ks-_Mh1QhMc
The study used saliva samples to prove that expansive postures actually altered participants hormone levels- decreasing Cortisol and increasing Testosterone. This neuroendocrine profile of having decreased Cortisol and higher levels of Testosterone has been consistently linked to such outcomes such as disease resistance and leadership abilities.
So What's My Take Home Message To You?
Increasing evidence has shown our posture has more to do with our minds than we once thought. When we alter our posture and body language, it subconsciously influences our thinking and decision making.
Simple Ways to Improve Posture
1) Awareness - The more awareness you have on your day to day posture, the more you can reprogram your neural pathways in the brain to create better long term postural habits. Avoiding slouching, keeping the pelvis in a neutral position, unclenching the jaw are just a few examples.
2) Walking- Walking helps your body to reset itself into a healthier posture. If you have a desk job, be sure to get up at least twice in an hour. When a person walks, it puts the spine into extension which can help alleviate back pain and tension in the body overall.
3) Stretch- I cannot stress the importance of stretching. Stretching is one of the easiest ways to create a more balanced posture and increase the overall performance of our wellbeing. Start by adding 5-10 minutes of stretching per day to your routine and holding the stretch for 10-30 seconds. It will have immense benefits. There are many resources for stretching routines that you can find on Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram to incorporate into your daily routine.
4) Yoga- Like stretching, yoga is a wonderful way to help with posture because it can combine both use of stretching and strengthening (depending on the pose) for our muscles and connective tissue. Increasing flexibility, strengthening weak muscles, and creating alignment are just some of yoga's benefits.
5) Get a Massage- I know, I know, I am a bit biased but massage is a great way loosen tight muscles and ease restrictions within the body that can cause poor posture. As a Registered Massage Therapist, we can determine which muscles are weak, note structural or soft tissue abnormalities and give exercises to correct or minimize postural dysfunction.
For additional information on how to improve posture see the links below:
Thanks for reading!
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