Smiling is a wonderful way to express emotion and connect with others, and there are some real benefits to smiling more frequently. However, it is often easier to frown than to crack a smile, especially at the end of a long and stressful day, but if you can force your features into a grin, you will probably feel all the better for doing so, and here is why smiling is so powerful.
Release Those Feelgood Endorphins
Whenever you smile, your brain releases neuropeptides that help fight stress. It also releases neurotransmitters that include endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. Endorphins can relieve mild levels of pain, while serotonin is well-known as an antidepressant. It's been suggested that smiling can help you recover more quickly from stress and lower your heart rate. Initially, faking a smile can boost your happiness level and your mood.
Making Others around You Feel Better
The feel-good factor isn't just limited to you; when you smile, it can positively impact those around you. Seeing somebody smiling at you activates the reward centre in your brain, making you feel a bit better. Also, when someone smiles, it's infectious and very difficult not to smile back, increasing feelings of happiness.
Making You Feel Happier in the Workplace
When you are happy and smiling at work, it can help improve your performance, increasing productivity. It appears that positive emotions like smiling and happiness can have a stimulating effect, while negative emotions like feeling sad can have the opposite effect. Smiling more can make you a more efficient and creative worker, enabling you to learn and make decisions more effectively.
Enjoy Better Relationships
Smiling is an important way of communicating with others and helps increase social bonds. One study discovered that smiling and laughter benefit emotional well-being in couples, increasing their closeness and deepening their relationship.
You Might Live Longer
Those people who smile and laugh more frequently may enjoy longer lives than those who don't. A 15-year study in Norway discovered that women with a strong sense of humour lived longer than those without it. They were far less likely to die from heart disease and less likely to suffer from infections. In comparison, men with a good sense of humour only seem to be protected against infection.
There's a good reason why smiling and laughter can protect your health as it stimulates your organs and can increase your intake of oxygen, stimulating your muscles and your heart and decreasing blood pressure. When you feel less stress, it's easier to enjoy more fulfilling social relationships, and a general sense of happiness can help you weather the effects of ageing, and any stressful situation life throws at you more effectively.
The easiest way to smile confidently is to make sure you visit us regularly for dental checkups and cleans. We can make sure your teeth and gums are in great shape, and professionally cleaning your teeth will give an additional sparkle to your smile.