“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do,” said Mother Theresa. Wise words from a wise woman.
And as it turns out, a smile does a lot more than bring joy and laughter to the world. According to research, smiling actually brings about a bevvy of health benefits, particularly when it comes to fighting pain and stress.
So how can displaying our pearly whites to the world positively impact our health?
That’s the subject of this post as we are revealing the five biggest health benefits for smiling people everywhere.
1. Elevates Your Mood
Every time you smile, you trigger the release of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. Immediately, you begin to feel an improved sense of well-being.
And did you know that even a forced smile can improve your mood? As it turns out, our brains are suckers for a smile. Even if we fake a smile, the same chemical reaction comes about leading you to a happier state.
In other words, we can “fake it ’til we make it” and smile to bring about joy.
2. Makes You Look Younger and Thinner
A recent study reveals that people view frowning faces as weighing more than faces of people smiling. Smiling people also look younger, according to study participants viewing random faces on a computer screen and noting their reactions.
Forget the late night infomercials touting shiny products to look younger and thinner. Smile more and save your money.
As we can see, smiling can make us look better. You might be surprised to know a smile with straight teeth can actually lead to a happier and healthier life. Some people even take advantage of cosmetic dentistry to get straighter teeth and a perfect smile.
3. Aids in Pain and Stress Relief
When we feel stress, our faces show it. Smiling can prevent us from looking worn out and relieve stress as well, due to the chemical reaction from your smile. Give yourself a gift and smile your stress away.
Endorphins that release every time you smile help to alleviate pain. How awesome is that? You can fight pain completely naturally without buying a pharmaceutical product.
4. Lowers Your Blood Pressure
Research also indicates that smiling can reduce your blood pressure. When you laugh, your blood pressure rises slightly for a brief moment. After that initial rise, your muscles relax and you go through a long period with a decreased heart rate with lower blood pressure.
To that end, smiling can make us feel better and reduce our risk of heart disease.
5. Boosts Your Immune System
As the old saying goes, laughter is the best medicine.
According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter and positive thoughts release molecules in your brain which fight illness and relieve stress.
Conversely, countless studies have concluded that depression or negative thoughts can weaken your immune system.
The lesson here is to look for opportunities to laugh and seek positivity whenever possible.
Wrap Up: Health Benefits for Smiling People
Our smile makes us feel happy and it spreads joy to others.
But it also provides amazing health benefits as well. Smiling people enjoy an improvement in pain and stress levels, a better immune system and lower blood pressure. They also receive the added benefit of appearing younger and thinner.
The best news is you can still enjoy these benefits even if you need to force your smile.
If you enjoyed this article, please check out more articles about finding happiness now.