Simple change in the way you walk could transform the way you handle stress

An upright walking style can soften how the body and mind react to stress. In a new study of 73 adults, people asked to walk upright during a stressful task showed calmer physiology and steadier mood than those asked to walk slumped.

The work was run in New Zealand and looked at immediate effects, not long term change. The key takeaway is simple – small changes in posture can matter in the moment.

Walking posture and stress

At the heart of this work is embodiment theory, the idea that body movements link to emotions and thoughts. The body sends signals that the brain treats as part of feeling and judging.

The work was led by Jessie Hackford at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on how posture and movement relate to emotion and health.

The stress task was the Trier Social Stress Test, a lab challenge designed to trigger social stress quickly, often using a brief speech and mental math before neutral observers.

It is a widely used test for provoking short, measurable stress responses.

Posture is one of the clearest signals the body can send. Shoulders, head position, and the way arms swing all carry information the nervous system uses.

What the team tested

Participants first completed baseline measures of mood and bodily signals from stress.

The team tracked blood pressure, galvanic skin response, a measure of tiny changes in skin conductance that rise with arousal, and skin temperature.

Volunteers then walked in their usual style before being randomly assigned to walk either upright or slumped. While walking, they faced the same stress challenge used in many studies.

Right after, the same psychological and physiological measures were taken again. This design let the researchers compare short term changes tied to posture in a controlled way.

Changes in body and mind

Compared to slumped walkers, the upright group reported less low arousal negative affect, less sleepiness, and less pain. They also reported slightly greater feelings of power.

Physically, the upright group showed lower systolic blood pressure and lower galvanic skin response, with slightly lower skin temperature as well. Systolic blood pressure, the top number, is the pressure in arteries when the heart beats.

“Compared to sitting in a slumped position, sitting upright can make you feel more proud after a success, increase your persistence at an unsolvable task, and make you feel more confident in your thoughts,” said Elizabeth Broadbent, University of Auckland. A related perspective comes from seated posture work. 

How stress links to walking

Posture tweaks change muscle tone, breathing patterns, and attention, which can alter stress signaling. Those shifts can travel through nerves and hormones and nudge how alert or safe we feel.

Evidence from seated stress testing helps explain this link. In one randomized trial using the same speech and math stressor, upright sitting preserved self esteem, improved mood, and changed speech patterns in ways that suggested less fear.

Body position can also influence cardiovascular control. Even small changes in stance and trunk position can change how the heart and vessels respond during challenges.

Beyond healthy volunteers, there are hints in people with mood symptoms. Related research found that asking people with mild to moderate depression to sit upright reduced fatigue and increased high arousal positive affect during a stressful task.

What this means for daily life

For most people, posture is a quick, low cost lever you can pull when tension rises. It will not replace therapy, medication, sleep, or social support, but it can help in the moment.

The lab results here are short term and cautious by design. They point to a tactic, not a cure, and they underscore how the body and brain talk to each other during stress.

If you want to try it, think of simple form cues while walking. Keep your head level, look ahead, let your arms swing, and lift your sternum a touch without arching your back.

Use this during common stress triggers like tight deadlines or a tough conversation. Those small adjustments can serve as a reset while you do the deeper work of managing stress.

Small adjustments, big changes

Future studies need to test this posture shift over weeks and months, not minutes. Real world trials at school, work, and home will show how well the effects carry over.

Researchers also need to check different ages and health conditions. Teens, older adults, and people with chronic pain may not respond the same way.

It will help to map which posture cues matter most. Head angle, shoulder position, and gait rhythm may not contribute equally.

Finally, expanding physiological measures could clarify the pathway. Tracking heart rate variability, cortisol, and breathing patterns alongside blood pressure and skin conductance would round out the picture.

The study is published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry.

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