Standing up straight could treat DEPRESSION, study claims: How posture has a direct impact on your mood
- Previous studies have found slouching can crush self-esteem and energy
- But a new study in New Zealand has tested the theory on people with depression
- They found that sitting up straight boosted energy, enthusiasm, and attention
Good posture could help treat depression, a new study claims.
Previous research has showed that slouching can crush one's mood, and sitting straight does the opposite.
But an upcoming paper by the University of Auckland is the first to examine whether something as simple as posture could work for people clinically diagnosed with moderate depression.
Sitting up straight boosted energy, enthusiasm, and attention in people with depression
'Compared to sitting in a slumped position, sitting upright can make you feel more proud after a success, increase your persistence at an unsolvable task, and make you feel more confident in your thoughts,' lead researcher Dr Elizabeth Broadbent explains.
'Research also suggests that sitting upright can make you feel more alert and enthusiastic, feel less fearful, and have higher self-esteem after a stressful task.'
To investigate the concept, Dr Broadbent gathered a group of 61 participants, all diagnosed with mild-to-moderate depression.
While all of them tended to slouch, half of the group was told to sit with a straight back during a screening test. The rest could sit naturally.
Dr Broadbent gave the straight-backed group specific instructions: level your shoulders, pull your shoulder blades down and together, straighten your back, and extend the top of your head towards the ceiling.
She then stuck a stiff piece of tape, often used by physiotherapists, on their backs which would pull tight if they slouched.
Once in that position, the participants completed a high-pressured stress-measuring task.
They had to give a five-minute speech, which they were told would be judged, before counting backwards from 1,022 in blocks of 13.
During the test, they were randomly asked to fill out surveys about their mood and how they were feeling.
Overwhelmingly, those who were sat straight had more energy and more enthusiasm, Dr Broadbent explains in her paper, due to be published later this year.
They also articulated themselves better and spoke more words during the stressful test.
The findings could be transformative for a better understanding of mental health care.
Speaking to Psychology Today, Dr Broadbent explained that she started exploring the concept when she was feeling in a glum mood.
'I noticed that I was walking with my shoulders slumped and looking at the ground. I looked up and put my shoulders back, and immediately I felt much better,' she said.
'I hypothesized that, if this worked for me, it might work for other people, too.
'That is what got me started on this research pathway.
'From my own experience and from my research, I think adopting an upright posture can help people feel better.
'But I think much depends on context and situation, and more research is needed into when [this strategy] works and for whom.'
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