Smiling and Its Benefits!

Health Benefits To Smiling

Who doesn't love a good smile? Whether it be seeing an old friend out in town or smiling at a helpful shop assistant, smiles just make the world a happier place really. While most of us aren't keen on our own smiles (I know I for one am not), let's go through the actual benefits to smiling! The health benefits are plenty, and as smiling and laughing are connected, they may overlap during the post. Firstly, smiling is linked with positive mental health and general positive attitudes through every aspect of your life - which makes sense, we smile when we are happy and it encourages others to smile back. When you smile, or laugh, your body releases endorphins which are proven to decrease stress and the chance of suffering with many health problems such as heart disease, type two diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

A 2015 study with Psychological Science proved that smiling can indeed lower heart rate, particularly when going through a stressful situation. Endorphins can't take all the credit though, other neurotransmitters such as Dopamine and Serotonin are also released and all contribute to a happier and healthier body.

We are all programmed to read facial expressions, and when we are smiled at, it is the natural reaction to smile back, no matter how happy you are feeling at the time. So not only is smiling benefiting us with the release of the neurotransmitters, or 'happy hormones', but those who are smiling back are also getting a taste of it.

So many of us spend hundreds of pounds on getting a healthy and happy lifestyle, whether that be through leisure or dieting. Although smiling doesn't impact in quite the same way, or nearly as quickly, a smile a day may be the ticket to keeping the doctor away after all. If you are someone who is shy, like me, smiling is a way of portraying happiness and friendliness without having to approach them, as many can spot a smile from quite a way, it is definitely a method I use when out in public and passing someone who just happens to look at me when I look at them. In the workplace, it is a pretty handy habit to get into, employers and customers will both get a feel for you as being a positive and approachable person if you smile rather than looking glum behind the desk.

Some reports suggest that smiling can improve success rates, though I believe this is more down to how people want to help rather than smiling driving the success completely on it's own accord.

These benefits are more than enough to make any frown disappear, so next time you make eye contact with someone, smile at them! You know it'll be worth it.