The Truth About Posture

Good posture can make you feel
happier and more productive.
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As much as I hate to admit it, good posture is really important. I’ve slouched over since I can remember, and now that I’m getting older, I’m regretting that I didn’t try harder to sit up straight when I was a kid. My body is so used to slouching that my shoulders are actually rotated forward and are extremely inflexible. They are the bane of my existence during yoga.

But having good posture affects a lot of things for the better. Not only does it inform the way others see us, there’s also evidence that it can also affect our mood and productivity levels. An experiment conducted by Erik Peper, a Dutch behavioral scientist and professor, showed that when students sat up straight, positive memories and thoughts came to mind more easily.

Peper has conducted several experiments on walking and sitting up straight, as well as other types of body language. His experiments’ outcomes have led him to the conclusion that energy and mood are elevated when you sit up straight versus slouching down. It’s the same concept of power dressing, or of smiling even when you don’t feel like it (which often results in you being more cheerful).

Scientists call this kind of body-to-mind influence “embodiment,” and its effects are real. “As soon as we are born, we begin developing rich neural pathways between the behavior or smiling and positive emotion and memories of positive emotion,” says Dana Carney of UC Berkely. Our brains know that those body movements are associated with certain emotions, and thus when we carry them out, it helps our minds respond that way.

I’m not saying that you’ll feel a jolt of happiness as soon as you sit up straight, but rather that you might find it easier to be cheerful by doing so. It’s all about the potential.

The Rules of Naps: Sleep Cycles

The best length of time for a "cat nap," or power nap, is less than 30 minutes.
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I’ll admit it: I’m a lover of naps. Sometimes days seem to stretch on forever, and whether it’s because I didn’t get enough sleep the night before or I’ve just had a particularly tiring day, sometimes a midday shuteye session is just what I need to get going again.

But naps can be dangerous, too. Many of us have strayed into the three and four hour range, and while that can be helpful, it’s not exactly conducive to getting things done. The best length of time for a “power” nap is actually less than thirty minutes.

There are three main stages of the sleep cycle. Stages one and two are considered “light” sleeping, and occur within 10-30 minutes. Slow eye movement begins in stage one, as you start drifting off. When you go into stage two, your brain starts inhibiting processing, ignoring outside stimuli, and consolidating memories.

Stage 3 REM sleep begins after 30 minutes.
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Waking up from stage one sleep often feels as though you didn’t even sleep at all. Waking up from stage two, in contrast, often gives people a boost in productivity and cognitive function, enhanced memory and creativity, and helps them feel more awake and less tired.

Stage three, which occurs after thirty minutes, is considered “deep” sleep, and is when rapid eye movement (REM) begins. Here is where most dreams begin and your body starts slowing down for long-term rest. Waking from this deep stage of sleep causes what is called sleep inertia. Motor dexterity goes down, while grogginess and the desire for sleep increases.

In order to be helpful, not hurtful, naps should be limited to about 25 minutes during the day. Taking a nap can be rejuvenating and increase productivity, keeping you from dragging through the rest of your day. In fact, in Japan, some nap salons have even opened up, giving sleepy workers a chance to get a little shuteye on a daybed before returning to work.