The body is influenced and influences the mood and mental state. Experts in postural hygiene and psychology recommend self-observation to correct the positions adopted by the body.

Johannes Michalak, professor of psychology at the University of Witten/Herdecke, investigates the interactions between emotions, thoughts and physical appearance. He first examined the gait patterns of depressed patients and found that they move more slowly and with less energy than mentally healthy people. It seems like a logical consequence, but Michalak and other scientists wonder if changing the way, you move could improve mental state.
HOW POSTURE AND FEELINGS ARE RELATED
Michalak showed in several studies that depressed people remember positive thoughts better when they are associated with a new gait or certain chi kung (Chinese energy gymnastics) exercises.
The researcher suspects that in our network of memories, experiences and emotional states are linked to a physical posture. If a node of this network is activated, for example when adopting a certain posture, the corresponding emotional information is automatically activated.
However, Michalak finds it questionable whether an upright stance alone leads to a more optimistic outlook on life. To be effective it is necessary to associate the posture with positive thinking, something that is not automatic. Together with an international team, he has analyzed more than 70 studies to find out how mood changes when you change your posture.
SELF-OBSERVATION AS A KEY TO GOOD POSTURE
Michalak recommends staying at all times to the position that is adopted or, at least, stopping from time to time and checking if one really feels comfortable in the position adopted. In this self-observation, it is necessary to look if tensions or other discomforts are experienced. In this way it is possible to self-correct in time, before bad postural habits are established and injuries occur.
It is advisable to incorporate stretching and relaxation exercises into daily habits, if possible, in front of the mirror, to promote body awareness and control of movements and posture. Ten minutes a day is enough.
This self-care is essential during the developmental phases of the musculoskeletal system. Teenagers who continuously look at the mobile are creating excessive tension in the neck and adopt a posture that can create physical and mood problems.
The human head weighs about five kilograms and if tilted exerts significant pressure on the cervical spine. With an incline of only 15 degrees, the load increases to 13 kilos. Poorly trained muscles are not able to compensate for the effort. The sedentary lifestyle, in addition, makes the abdominal and back muscles little do not adequately support the spine. In the long run, the chances of suffering problems in the shoulders, neck and lower back increase.
In addition to a sedentary lifestyle and poor posture, the other cause of physical discomfort and discouragement is stress.
POSTURAL ADVICE DURING VARIOUS ACTIVITIES
- Walk correctly. Keep your neck straight, so that the crown is at the highest possible point. The shoulders should not fall forward and the arms should hang loosely and relaxedly.
- Run optimally. Just like walking, you should look forward. Keep your legs parallel and swing your arms slightly bent. Don’t run stiff.
- Foot movement. When walking and running, place your heel first and rest your foot toward your toes. This relieves pressure on the vertebrae.
- When standing. Check your posture from time to time: stretch your neck, tuck belly, keep your shoulders under your ears and your legs slightly apart. Change from time to time the leg on which more weight falls.
- Grip the weights well. To pick up a weight, bend down by bending only your knees, keeping your back straight, and grasping the object with both hands as close to the trunk as possible. Carry only what your strength allows, do not make absurd efforts. The mistake is to keep the legs straight and tilt the trunk to pick up the object.
- Pay attention to balance. It is best to carry bags on both sides to distribute the weight.
- Face to face with the mobile. To look at the screen, whenever you can put the mobile at eye level to avoid tilting your head.