Kick aside your gloomy mood: New research from Canada found that simply changing the way you walk can make you happier.
In the study, researchers had one group of people change their gait so they unknowingly walked in a “sad” style—a slumped posture with shoulders hanging forward and little arm swing. The other group took on a “happy” style—more arm movement and an up-and-down bounce.
After taking a memory test, the sad walkers remembered significantly more negative words than those who moved with a happy stride.
This memory bias is important because it plays a big role in establishing and maintaining depressive conditions, says study author Nikolaus Troje, Ph.D. Depressed people tend to remember negative events and focus more on them, which can create a bad mood.
The researchers believe that changing postures or movement patterns can actually influence the way you process information. So if you’re looking for a quick way to lift your spirits, “walk happily and you’ll feel better,” says Troje.
