Mothers have been telling their children to stop slouching for ages, and it turns out they’re onto something.
Poor posture not only makes a bad impression, it can actually make you physically and emotionally weaker.
Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology has shown that by standing up straight, people feel more powerful and in control — and are able to tolerate more distress. Among the individuals studied, those who used the most dominant posture were more comfortably able to handle pain than those assigned a more neutral or submissive stance. Dominant postures also made remembering an unhappy, emotional event less painful.
The research suggests that crawling up into a ball when things go bad just makes things worse by leaving you feeling like you have no control over your circumstances.
Instead, try sitting or standing up straight, pushing your chest out, and expanding your body to create a sense of power. Adopting an expansive posture rather than constricting your body may also lead to elevated testosterone, associated with increased pain tolerance, and increased cortisol, which can make experiences less stressful.
Don’t wait until things are difficult to adopt a stand-tough stance.
Practice makes perfect. You’ll be better able to withstand the stresses of everyday life if you adopt a stronger backbone.
KiKi Bochi is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who specializes in health and family topics.
