When you look at other people, one of the things that you might notice is how they hold themselves. Posture can tell you a lot about a person. Are they stressed? Are they comfortable in the situation that they're in? Do they have a lot of self-confidence? Posture can also have a large impact on someone's health. Breathing issues, muscle or joint strength, and headaches are common issues that can come from having bad posture.
The first thing that most people think about when it comes to posture is standing up straight. The act of standing up straight can help with blood circulation and muscle strength. Your spine will be under less stress in this position as well. For students or people who work at a desk all day, this is super important. Having a bent over position for long periods of time can cause muscle strain in the back and neck, headaches, fatigue, jaw pain, difficulty breathing, etc. Basically, your whole body depends on you holding yourself up correctly.
Posture can also impact your confidence. Standing up straight suggests self-confidence, not only to those around you, but to yourself. When you do things that suggest confidence (standing up straighter, wearing those shoes that make you feel good, etc.), you start to really feel more confident. It has similar effects on your mood as well. Having good posture can leave you feeling more energetic and happier.
You can work on fixing your posture by paying more attention to your body and what it needs. Stay aware of your shoulders and your neck. Stretch more often to wake up your muscles. When you feel yourself slouching, straighten up or walk around to readjust your body.
A study at The Ohio State explains more about how posture can affect your confidence here.
