Another blog post from Ann Arbor chiropractor, Mike Tannenbaum, D.C.: Good Posture Has More Benefits Than You Realize

I remember my grandfather used to have the annoying habit of sticking his finger in my back to make sure I stood up straight. I now have a better understanding of why he probably did this. I believe he did this because he knew that good posture is good for your joints and overall body health. However, there is another important benefit of good posture that I don't think my grandfather had in mind, and that is that good posture can improve your mood.

Studies have shown that improved posture gives you more confidence, a better sense of well-being, and can reduce depression. Poor posture, on the other hand, has been found to correlate with increased depression, decreased sense of confidence and decreased sense of well-being. (With this in mind, you could say that addiction to using your cell phone, which causes poor posture, can cause you to feel depressed). There is a philosophy called “Embodied Cognition” that basically says that the mind and body relationship functions such that your body posture affects your mental state – and apparently, two minutes of body “power poses” a day can change your hormone levels of testosterone and cortisol, making you feel more confident. (Note: though we often think of testosterone as a men’s hormone, women have it too.)

Chiropractors and other health care practitioners (and my grandfather) promote good posture because they understand that it is important for your health, and apparently that goes for mental health, as well.

If you have any questions about this blog post, chiropractic, back pain, neck pain or headaches please feel free to contact me at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office at [email protected].