Want to know a secret? Smiles have powers that border on being magical. It’s true! Here are just a few of the benefits that smiling more will have on your life:
- Smiles ward off depression – The act of smiling floods your brain with feel-good chemicals while simultaneously lowering your cortisol levels. Cortisol is the “fight or flight” hormone that controls your stress levels, so smiling will destress you in addition to making you feel better.
- Fake it till you make it – Building on the first tip, your brain can’t tell the difference between a fake smile and a real one, so if you’re feeling down, smile anyway. Before you know it, you’ll be feeling better.
- Smiles make you more attractive – There have been numerous studies that have proven that people are more at ease around smiling faces than sour ones. They regard people who smile as being more open, honest and attractive, so not only will your interactions with others be more pleasant, but your ego and self-esteem will be boosted as well.
- You can improve the mood of everyone around you – A recent Swedish study proved that people’s moods echo the moods of those around them. If you’re surrounded by sad, frowning people, then inevitably, sufficient exposure to that will make you sad. If you’re around smiling, happy people, the reverse is true, and inevitably, you’ll find that your mood starts to improve.
- Smiling lowers your heart rate and blood pressure. In addition to that, the feel-good hormones that get released when you smile also act as natural pain killers.
As you can see, the simple act of smiling has a whole raft of benefits and no downsides at all. There’s no quicker or easier way of elevating not just your mood, but the mood of everyone around you, so say cheese and smile! You’ll be glad you did. Literally.
