THE movements of your body and face reveal a lot about you. When it comes to attracting the other gender, it pays to appear youthful and cheerful.

In a major study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, J M Montepare and L Zebrowitz-McArthur show that many people react more favourably to those whose walking style seems more youthful than to those whose walk seems elderly, regardless of the actual age or gender.

What did they mean by 'youthful' posture and gait? Flexibility, primarily.

The upside of this is that you don't actually have to be young to appear young.

So no matter how old you are now, remember to stand up straight and walk with a bounce in your step. Believe it or not, how you stand and walk plays a powerful role in how attractive you are to the opposite gender.

This seems simple, but it could take a few months to get your body used to adopting a naturally youthful posture and gait. Training in yoga or sports involving flexibility can also be very helpful.

Theories abound on why we are more attracted to youth, which in this case means mainly physical fitness. The most widely accepted is that physical fitness in men and women is selected for by evolutionary processes.

Along with a strong posture and walk, a person's face can also appear more attractive through another simple technique: The smile.

Often, we try to read other people's feelings and thoughts by looking at their body language and facial expressions.

This is because we believe that our moods affect our physical states.

But research has shown that the reverse is also true. Changing our physical self can directly affect our emotional and mental states. By changing our physiology, we can actually alter our brain chemistry.

For example, while it is generally understood that people smile when they are happy, numerous studies reveal that when we smile, we actually put ourselves in a better mood. Conversely, if you were to frown for a few minutes, you would likely feel worse.

Attractive

Since people are more attracted to happy people than unhappy people, the obvious thing to do is to smile. A lot.

Not only do you communicate that you are relaxed and comfortable, which are attractive traits in themselves, but by the very act of smiling, you actually make yourself feel better.

In addition, breathe deeply and regularly. Breathing properly is integral to appearing and feeling calm and confident.

When we're nervous, we tend to hold our breaths.

Deep breathing immediately relaxes your central nervous system right down to your spine and literally calms your nerves. This enables you to think more easily, move and speak clearly and confidently.

So remember to adopt a healthy posture and gait, and put on a happy smile.

This article was first published in The New Paper