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Much is known about the social and psychological effects of a smile. It makes people look more welcoming and approachable. Some studies agree that a smile can make one look more intelligent and even trustworthy.
But I bet you didn’t know that smiling often can be beneficial to your health. Yes, it can.
Smiling can be just a sort of mood elevator, but it also can get your life prolonged. If you want to learn how smiling benefits your health, keep reading!
1. Elevated Moods
If you are feeling down – probably suffering depression or anxiety, a smile can help elevate this mood. In a study carried out in 2010, pushing yourself to do things that invariably bring smiles to your face even when you’re feeling blue can help you have more positive thoughts and blackout on the negatives.
So are you having a bad day? A dose of smile costs nothing!
2. Smile Can Relieve Stress
Are you stressed out? We recommend a smile! If you smile more often irrespective of your mood, your body will be able to handle stress more effectively.
A study in Psychological Science that was published in 2015 revealed that a low heart rate even when dealing with stressful issues can be traced to how much an individual smiled. A high heart rate is dangerous to health, smiling often seems to be the remedy.
3. Improved Relationship With Others
If you are the type that smiles often, it is actually a lot easier to build a relationship with you. In 2010, a study laid credence to the fact that those who enjoy better marriages or had healthier relationships with others are often those who smiled often.
If you smile often, you stand a chance of being preferred in social circles to those who don’t.
4. Smiles Can Relieve Pains
Might sound weird but smiling can be associated with pain relief. According to Mayo Clinics, when you laugh, your body releases natural painkillers. Social laughter can help increase a person’s pain threshold, according to a 2012 study.
So if you’re suffering physical or psychological pain, you should go out and have some fun and laughter.
5. A Smile Boosts the Immune System
I know you’re thinking that this is another weird thing to be associated with a smile. It is true nonetheless. Mayo Clinic confirms that when you laugh or smile, it triggers your brain to produce hormones that are targeted at illness and stress. So consequentially, negative thoughts will reduce the production of these hormones hereby decreasing the immunity of your body. In 2015, a study found that when women who had just had their babies laughed or smiled, their immune responses seemed to be boosted.
6. Decreasing Blood Pressure
In 2009, a study showed that the process of smiling begins with an increase in heart rate. Soon afterward the muscles tend to become calm and the heart rate and consequentially blood pressure reduces.
Final Thoughts…
Surely, you never knew you had access to these health benefits right under your nose! Laughter is the best medicine after all. So whatever mood you are, endeavor to always wear a smile for the benefit of your body, mind, and soul!