 |
| Walk away the Blues |
Can way we walk influence our mood? So suggest Johannes McCulloch in a study of behavioral therapy that I read in the Wall Street Journal. If you engage in a happy walk with a strong gate and arms swinging like a power walk may lift mood and help elevate your mood.
Have you ever watch somebody who was depressed walk? Their eyes are cast downward, they're walking slower, they may be swaying side to side. The study suggests changing the way we walk may in turn may change your mood.
Studies have shown talking to strangers, matchmaking with our friends, successfully abstaining from chocolate can all lift our moods.
The article shares people with a slumped poster posture will recall more negative words from a list of words equally negative and positive. People who have a confident posture smiling will recall more positive words. If you are depressed you're thinking depressed and it shows in your body language. If you were happy you are probably thinking about good things that make you happy and that will show up in your body language. Can changing the body language, the way we sit or walk change the way we think?
More studies would be needed to test the hypothesis of changing the way we walk and how it affects her mood.
If you want to learn about behavioral therapy this is a very good example. My personal experience with cognitive behavioral therapy in depression and anxiety would give a strong testimonial to the value I'm applying principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. Within days of applying some of the therapies I was learning my mood began to lift long before the antidepressant medications kicked in.
I have read many studies that show that walking aerobically can actually change body chemistry to more positive outcome with mood. There is an elevation in her mood as a result of the walk. Could taking a break of 20 to 30 minutes, where we are on purpose raise our head to look out instead of look down, tummy tuck our core and align our shoulders over her hips, swing our arms as we walk stepping out with a hop in out step and physically change the way we are walking, would we see a change in our mood?
To guarantee a real break, I call it a retreat moment, listen to the wind moving through the trees, look for the birds and down the trail at the flowers. Notice other people and their pets walking on the trail. Give a slight smile and say hello to people as they pass, looking out and not down. If you're walking was someone, don't talk about problems or conflicts, save that for a cup of coffee. If you are a little down try it and see if it helps. Let me know your thoughts on this.
Here is a link to the article from the Wall Street Journal.
Keep walking
No comments:
Post a Comment
I would appreciate your comments and imput. I would like to hear from you. Contact me a bbbbsa@sbcglobal.net