Smile
Many people believe that smiling is simply an involuntary reaction to things that make you happy or make you laugh. While this is correct, it overlooks an important point: smiling can be a deliberate, intentional choice.
What does psychology think about smiling? Whether your smile is genuine or not, it can have a positive effect on your body and mind, benefiting your health, mood, and even the moods of those around you.
Benefits of smiling
1.) Smiling Helps You Live Longer
Perhaps the most compelling reason to smile is that it may help you live longer. According to one study, genuine, intense smiling is associated with longer life. More research is needed to understand why happy people appear to have better health and longevity. According to research, happiness may increase lifespan by years, implying that maintaining a happy, positive mood may be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
2.) Smiling Elevates Mood
Smiling can also help you feel better. Try smiling the next time you're feeling down. There's a good chance that your mood will improve. The physical act of smiling activates pathways in your brain that influence your emotional state, which means you can "trick" your mind into entering a state of happiness by adopting a happy facial expression. This effect works whether your smile is genuine or not.
A simple smile can cause neuropeptides to be released, which improves neural communication. It also causes neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin to be released, which can improve your mood. Consider smiling to be a natural antidepressant.
3.) Smiling May Lower Blood Pressure
Smiling may have a positive effect on your blood pressure. Laughter, in particular, appears to lower blood pressure after causing an increase in heart rate and breathing. While smiling has been shown to lower your heart rate in stressful situations, more research is needed to determine how it lowers blood pressure.
If you have a blood pressure monitor at home, you can put this theory to the test. Take a few minutes to sit and read. After a minute of smiling, take another reading while still smiling. Is there a difference?
