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MAKING MY PEACE … with putting my hands up, up in the air

The power pose of personal peace - with psychological benefits ...

MARTINA NICOLLS

Dec 24

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Putting your hands up, up in the air, two hands above the head, is a symbol of joy, especially at concerts and celebrations and especially amid many like-minded people. The message is one of embracing fun.

Sometimes putting your hands up is a sign of frustration or having enough of a situation – something silly or complicated – like having enough of assembling a bookcase only for it to appear lopsided. The message is one of temporary defeat.

In other contexts, putting your hands up is a compliance to an order, such as in situations of authority or conflict. The message is one of surrender.

Often putting your hands up is a sign of letting go of stress and worry by releasing tension. The message is one of allowing yourself to be free.

There are disadvantages of putting your hands up. Apart from physical strain and pain in your arms, shoulders, and neck, in situations where raising your hands is interpreted as giving up control, it might leave you with vulnerability of exposure. This can be uncomfortable or risky in situations where you need to maintain control or assert yourself. It is also open to misinterpretation. Others may not understand your intention, leading to confusion or unintended consequences. Or it might draw unwanted attention to yourself.

There are many advantages in putting your hands up. Raising your hands can be a powerful, non-verbal, silent way of communicating excitement, support, or surrender. It helps you express yourself physically and emotionally in various contexts without the potential embarrassment of saying the wrong thing. It also shows engagement and participation, it signals willingness to participate, and shared agreement with the activities or sentiments in social and public events. Putting your hands up can therefore suggest a sense of unity and shared experiences with others – an understanding and empathy with those around you. It therefore helps to build connections with community and a collective sense of solidarity. Putting your hands up at concerts and protests, or whenever, reinforces the feeling of belonging to a larger group or cause. Symbolically, it is a signal of trust. In certain contexts, such as when you’re being asked to participate in a group setting or take a stand for a cause or person, raising your hands can boost confidence and assertiveness, signalling your willingness to be seen and heard.

Raising both arms in the air has various physiological, physical, and psychological benefits.

Physiologically, raising both arms above the head helps promote blood flow to the upper body, which can improve oxygen delivery to the brain and other tissues. The action can help activate the lymphatic system, which supports detoxification and immune function. Putting your hands up expands the chest cavity, encouraging deeper inhalation and breathing, and improved lung capacity. It also helps to minimise slouching by engaging the muscles of the upper back, shoulders, and spine.

Physically, it stretches the shoulders, arms, and upper back, improving a range of motions and reducing stiffness. The movement activates core muscles and helps stabilize the shoulders and upper body. By stretching both arms as you raise them can relieve tightness that you get from prolonged computer use by counteracting the effects of a hunched posture. Stretching upward can stimulate the body and combat fatigue, making you feel more energized.

Psychologically, putting your hands up can boost confidence. The motion mirrors "power poses" signalling confidence and dominance, which can help boost self-esteem and reduce stress. Many primates – chimpanzees, gorillas, gibbons – do this to make themselves look bigger and more powerful when determining the status and hierarchy of an individual in a group – and to scare away threatening entities.

Stretching upward can trigger endorphin release, contributing to improved mood and stress reduction. The motion is often subconsciously associated with success, joy, and liberation, reinforcing positive feelings.

The combination of physical activity and the opening of the chest is associated with reduced cortisol levels. Yoga poses, such as Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute), or simply stretching with arms raised, can offer these benefits in a structured way. Combining this motion with deep breathing enhances relaxation and mental clarity.

Putting your hands up can be a simple, easy, quick activity to do alone or in small groups to relax, centre your mind, refocus on quietening the body, and gain ground in life.

Making my peace with putting my hands up, up in the air, I learned the following:

To stretch meaningfully

To lean into the movement

To quieten my mind

To open my lungs to more fresh air

To give myself time to think

To celebrate myself