Study shows better posture helps manage stress, increase self-esteem, and improve mood

Study shows better posture helps manage stress, increase self-esteem, and improve mood

As performing artists and others have long suspected, it turns out that good posture impacts on more than just the way you look. According to a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology (http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2014-37739-001/), “posture tends to be associated with more positive mood, more resilience to stress and better self-esteem.”  In the study, 74 participants were randomly assigned to either a slumped or an upright seated posture group and their backs were taped into the corresponding postures using physiotherapy tape. Participants in the upright posture group reported more positive feelings, less fear, appeared to speak more freely, and had higher pulse pressure before and after stress.

The results of the study correspond to what people have reported for years as a result of their Alexander lessons: not only does posture tend to improve, but also mood, overall fitness, and resilience to stress. Because the Technique brings about postural changes based on decreased interference with the body’s natural supporting mechanisms (as opposed to externally imposing a shape on the body, as the tape in the abovementioned study), changes are more likely to be deeper and more sustained.

To find out more about the study, see this article in Time Magazine: http://time.com/3394589/slumping-makes-you-sad/

To find out more about how the Alexander Technique can help improve posture,  without exercises or having to ‘sit up straight’ and ‘put your shoulders back,’  see www.alexandertech.ca.