How To Read Body Language: Interpreting Body Language Signs For Better Communication

Knowing how to read body language is important because nonverbal cues often communicate more than what a person is verbally saying. These nonverbal cues may even be used to detect if a person is telling a lie. However, the intention in knowing how to read body language stems from the desire to understand other people’s deeper motives.

Interpreting body language can help you break down barriers of communication. It gives you an idea on the best way to approach someone and provides an insight into another person’s thoughts or future actions. It gives you an idea how they will react to suggestions.

Learning how to read body language is crucial not only for those who wish to establish relationships like dating couples, it is also important for those who wish to nurture their existing relationships. The ability to read body language further assists effective communication.

One way to effectively read body language is through the person's eyes. According to studies, dilated pupils reveal a person's interest about the topic at hand. The direction towards where the eyes are gazing is also an indicator of how they are feeling.

When riddled with guilt, a person usually looks to the side; when feeling shy, they tend to gaze down. But like any other signals, it could be interpreted in various ways.

A person's hands could also immensely express inner feelings and state of mind. A common interpretation of open palms is that a person feels relaxed. When a person’s palm or hands are open, their defenses are down.

Here’s how to read body language by observing a person's legs. You might not be aware of it, but a person’s posture and the position of their legs are indicators of their level of confidence. If a person is standing with both legs shoulder-width apart, it means they’re in a relaxed state. If it is wider than that, then it means that they’re in control. Meanwhile, if a person's legs are crossed while standing, it could mean they’re shy.

The position of legs while sitting down also has varied interpretations. Crossed legs means that the person is in protective mode. Crossed legs typically come with crossed arms.

A person's eyebrow is another very expressive feature of the face. A raised eyebrow indicates shock or surprise, while flicking them up or down whenever greeting someone is a means of acknowledging their presence.

It might seem tricky at the start but learning how to interpret various bodily signals can be fun. More importantly, knowing how to read body language enables you to better understand what the other person means more than what they are verbally expressing.