3 ways to lift your mood

3 ways to lift your mood – Dr Steven Weiniger

Tired and grumpy, and it’s not even Monday? Your postural habits may be to blame

There have been a number of studies done that show that posture and attitude are tightly linked. If you can strengthen your posture, you will not only look better, but you may feel better as well.
“Posture is not just important in how you look; it’s also important in how you look at life,” says posture and healthy living expert Dr Steven Weiniger. “Think of all the sayings that correlate the way you look to how you feel – feeling down, eyes downcast, keep your chin up, hold your head high – your posture reflects your mood.”
On a scientific level, poor posture negatively impacts your body’s natural processes, from a neurological, muscular, and hormonal point of view, Weiniger adds.
“Living slumped can cause a range of problems from chronic pain and numbness from nerve compression, to gastrointestinal issues, to breathing difficulties. And, when you’re not feeling your best physically, it takes a big toll emotionally.”

So here are some quick, actionable posture tips to feel more confident and energetic right now (Hint: they don’t involve coffee!):

1. Commute with a strong posture. You may be spending upwards of four hours a day in the car, and your posture may not be helping your road rage. “Make your chair more vertical and adjust your rear view mirror a little higher, forcing you to keep your sitting posture tall while you drive,” suggests Weiniger.
2. Move more during the day. Things like taking the stairs versus the elevator is a good start, but take an extra moment to focus on maintaining an erect posture as you go up the stairs – you may be surprised at how much better you’ll be able to breathe at the top!
3. Take a break! Stop what you’re doing at work every 30-45 minutes, get out of your chair, stand tall, and focus on your alignment and breathing. During your Strong Posture break, focus on bringing your shoulders up, back and down, keeping your pelvis tucked, and head held tall and aligned over your shoulders. Then, take 5 deep belly breaths.

Dr Steven Weiniger has trained thousands of physicians and therapists in posture improvement and is the author of Stand Taller Live Longer, An Anti-Aging Strategy.