Can bad posture cause anxiety? Here’s what science says
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
It turns out that bad posture can affect more than just your back. Explore the connection between posture and anxiety, and 9 tips to help you improve stance (and mental health).
In a world where most of us are glued to screens, stuck in cars, or generally just tensed up trying to keep it all together, it can seem like poor posture has become the default. It’s easy to dismiss slouching as just a “bad habit,” but more and more research is pointing to something deeper: the way we hold our bodies could be directly impacting how we feel emotionally.
So, can bad posture actually cause anxiety? While the science is still catching up to what many of us have already felt in our bodies, the short answer is: maybe. There’s growing evidence that your physical stance—tight shoulders, collapsed chest, forward-tilting head—can influence your mood, your breath, and your nervous system.
If you feel anxious after a day spent twisted into a pretzel at your desk, this one’s for you. Here’s what you need to know about the mind-body loop between posture and anxiety.
What is the connection between posture and anxiety?
Posture can be deeply connected to how you feel emotionally. When you’re anxious, your body usually tightens up. Your shoulders hunch, your breath gets shallow, and your spine curls forward. But that posture doesn’t just reflect your stress — it can reinforce it.
That’s because your body and brain are in constant communication. Slouched and collapsed positions can signal to your body that you’re in distress. On the other hand, upright and open posture can signal calm and confidence.
What the science says
While posture isn’t considered a direct cause of anxiety, research does indicate that it may influence how your body responds to stress. Here’s how:
Breathing and the nervous system: Slouching can restrict deep breathing, which may then activate your fight-or-flight response and mimic anxiety.
Mood regulation: Upright posture has been linked to higher self-esteem and less negative thinking, especially under stress.
Embodied cognition: How you hold your body can shape your emotions, so sitting upright could help you get to a more positive emotional state.
Power poses and perceived control: Expansive power poses may boost confidence and reduce your perceived stress.
Pain and tension cycles: Poor posture usually causes physical discomfort, which can then quietly add to your emotional strain.
5 benefits of practicing good posture
Supportive posture can help you move through your day with a little more breath, a little less tension, and maybe even a little more clarity. Here are five ways good posture might benefit you:
1. Improved breathing: Posture can affect how easily you breathe, and that can shift how calm you feel. Sitting or standing in a more open position gives your lungs space to expand and invites slower breaths.
2. Increased energy: Slouching demands more work from your muscles, which can then drain your energy. A more supported posture distributes effort more efficiently and leaves you with more stamina.
3. Less physical tension: Supporting your spine can help reduce knots and back aches. As a result, this can make it easier to focus and rest.
4. Better emotional regulation: When your body feels supported, your emotions can feel a little more manageable. This won’t erase stress, but it might give you a steadier platform to manage it from.
5. A quiet confidence boost: Finding a posture that makes you feel more grounded and balanced can make you feel more like yourself. This shift can help you show up more fully and become more confident.
How to improve your posture: 9 mindful tips
Improving your posture can feel hard when you’ve got long-standing patterns of sitting and standing, but with a little awareness, and a little bit more patience, it is possible.
Here are nine manageable ways you can slowly improve your posture.
1. Start by noticing
Become aware of where your shoulders rest and your head naturally sits. Noticing your go to stances is the first step towards making change. You could set a reminder on your phone to stop and check-in on your posture a few times during the day
💙 Let this short Body Scan meditation with Tamara Levitt help you take a little more notice of your posture throughout the day.
2. Anchor through your feet
Whether you’re sitting or standing, let your feet touch the floor. This can create a physical foundation and helps your entire body realign from the bottom up. If your feet are dangling or twisted, your posture will probably reflect that.
Try going barefoot at home. This can help you feel the ground, and be a little more present as well.
💙 Bring yourself and your posture into the now by listening to Present with Tamara Levitt.
3. Stack your bones
Once you’ve got your feet firmly on the ground, try to “stack” the rest of your body in a way that feels supportive but natural. Put your hips under your shoulders, and have your head floating above your spine.
It may not feel natural at first, so give yourself some time to adjust (and reap the benefits).
4. Use your breath as a cue
Shallow breathing is usually a sign you’re slumped or collapsed. When you catch yourself in that pattern, take a slow breath and gently lift your chest like you’re giving your lungs a little more room.
To breathe better, imagine your breath moving down into your lower ribs and back. Then let that expansion softly encourage your spine to lengthen without force.
5. Reset with micro-movements
Your body isn’t meant to hold a single perfect posture all day. Instead, aim for regular resets.
Shoulder rolls, neck stretches, ankle circles, or simply standing up for 30 seconds every hour can keep your posture from locking into place.
6. Rethink your work setup
A few small adjustments to your work environment can make a big difference. You could raise your laptop so the top of the screen is at eye level or use a cushion behind your lower back for lumbar support. If your chair is too high and you feel your feet dangling, try putting a stack of books under your feet.
Make your work environment suit you, not the other way around. Here are nine more tips to help you design an ergonomic workspace.
7. Strengthen the muscles that support good posture
Over time, posture becomes easier when the muscles that hold you up—like your core, upper back, and glutes—are gently engaged and balanced.
To strengthen these muscles, consider doing a few standing yoga poses, or a few bodyweight exercises like bridges or planks. You can also modify these exercises to fit where you’re at in your fitness journey.
Read more: How to do a chair workout: 10 exercises to try at home
8. Unclench your jaw
We all hold tension in various parts of our bodies when we’re stressed. Pay attention to where yours shows up: the subtle clench in your jaw, the grip in your toes, or the way your hands curl into fists while typing.
Once an hour, try doing a quick tension scan from head to toe. As you do this, unclench and release what you can.
Read more: Why is my body tense all the time? 6 tips to relieve tension
9. Stay flexible with yourself
Go easy on yourself when you catch yourself in bad posture. You’re a human, and sometimes you’re going to slouch. And that’s okay.
This isn’t about reaching perfect posture all of the time. It’s about creating a posture practice that supports your nervous system, your breath, and your energy. If all you do today is take one deep breath and relax your shoulders, that still counts.
Can bad posture cause anxiety FAQs
Can bad posture cause anxiety?
While bad posture probably won’t cause anxiety in the same way a traumatic event or chronic stress might, it can still make your anxiety symptoms worse. When your body is slouched, your breathing becomes shallow, your muscles become tense, and your nervous system can shift into a subtle fight-or-flight state.
These physical cues can mimic or amplify feelings of anxiety, especially if you’re already prone to it. Over time, this feedback loop can become a pattern and reinforce the discomfort you’re trying to avoid.
Is there a connection between mental health and posture?
Mental health and posture are connected through a mix of breath, muscle tension, nervous system activation, and emotional signaling. When someone is feeling anxious or overwhelmed, it can often show up through rounded shoulders and a collapsed chest.
Also, bad posture may reinforce a bad mood. Emerging research in embodied cognition suggests that how we hold our bodies can influence how we think, feel, and even respond to stress.
Can good posture help with depression?
While posture alone isn’t a treatment for depression, there’s some evidence that improving posture can support emotional regulation, energy levels, and self-esteem — all of which play a role in managing depressive symptoms.
Upright posture has been linked to more positive self-perceptions and reduced rumination, which is a common feature of depression. Some small studies have found that maintaining a more expansive or supported posture during stressful tasks can buffer against negative thinking.
While not a clinical treatment, posture adjustments might offer a small, supportive way to complement existing care strategies.
What are simple ways to improve daily posture?
Start by checking in with your body a few times a day—are you slumped forward? Are your shoulders up by your ears? Small adjustments like grounding your feet, stacking your spine gently, or taking a few slow breaths can make a big difference over time.
You can also look for “habit stacking” moments: stand tall while brushing your teeth, stretch your shoulders during a Zoom call, or reset your posture every time you check your phone. It’s about making posture part of your rhythm, not your to-do list.
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