Most of us are aware that a positive attitude can improve health and speed recovery from illness, but does this also work the other way around? ‘Embodied cognition’ is a term used by psychologists to describe how the way we move affects the way we think and feel. An early study in this fascinating field demonstrated that holding a pencil horizontally between your teeth activates the same muscles used for smiling, thus sending pleasure signals to our brain, while people who have Botox injected to reduce laughter lines are less happy afterwards.
If you've ever cried during a massage you will know that muscles are not simply an amalgamation of tissue and fibres. They contain delicate traces of our emotional lives and have the capacity to engender feelings without the executive influence of the mind. Our body can be an originator of feeling and a powerful co-creator of our emotional experience and there’s research to prove it. Here are nine of my favourite studies:
1) Have a hot a bath if you’re feeling lonely
Research shows that taking a hot bath wards off feelings of social isolation and loneliness, and that holding a cup of hot rather than iced coffee makes you more likely to see generosity and goodness in others. This is part of a growing consensus that physical warmth is associated with interpersonal warmth.
2) Tense your muscles if you need will power
An interesting study has shown that if you tense your muscles you are more likely to be able to resist tempting food, take unpleasant medicine and pay attention to disturbing information.
3) Open your arms if you’re in pain
Psychologists have shown that if you stand with your arms and legs outstretched you will be more tolerant to pain, which suggests that powerful postures make you feel more in control, even if you're not.
4) Walk happily to remember positive information
You are more likely to attend to and remember positive information if you walk with your shoulders back, arms swinging, chin high and a bounce in your step, say psychologists.
5) Cross your arms for persistence
Try crossing your arms when you’re next faced with a difficult task. Research indicates that you will be more likely to persevere and come up with the right solution to the problem if you do.
6) Lie down for creativity
In this study, people were more able to solve anagram puzzles when they were lying down than when they were standing up, as it appears to stimulate insight.
7) Relax your body to make better decisions
One study has shown that keeping your body in a state of relaxation allows you to take in new information and make better decisions.
8) Wear sunglasses to feel less angry
An unusual study showed that people walking towards the sun without sunglasses were more likely to express anger than those with sunglasses. This is thought to be because the muscles used to shield the eyes are the same as those used to frown.
9) Jump for joy
According to this study, literally jumping up and down could make you feel happier.
Of course, these studies simply back up what we have always known: our language has for decades shown our intuitive understanding of the connection between our minds and bodies; it is why we grit our teeth, shoulder the burden, face the music and have a stiff upper lip. So next time you need a little extra help with your mood, let your body do the work.
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