No, it’s not a cup of coffee (though, we love that, too). According to Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy, the first thing you should do as soon as you wake up is stretch. (This explains why yoga is so powerful in the morning.)
“If you sleep in a fetal ball, we have some preliminary evidence that people who wake up like that wake up much more stressed out,” explained Cuddy, “On the other hand, people who wake up and spread their arms out into a V, are super happy -like annoyingly happy.”
Apparently, 40% of Americans sleep in the fetal position, which can actually lower your confidence during the day. Who knew your sleeping position could affect your waking state so much? By stretching out and assuming “power” positions, like raising your arms up in a V and stretching your legs out, you can set up your body to feel more confident and powerful. Check out the full Ted talk, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are below:
photo credit: Unsplash/Bruce Mars
