I am sure many of you have heard of the phrase that states, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Turns out, smiling is another simple solution that provides many lifelong benefits that will help preserve your health. Whether your smile is genuine or not, a smile can positively impact your mind and body, offering a grand scheme of benefits for your overall health. Not only can a smile positively impact your health, but it can also benefit those around you. Below we will go over the top five benefits smiling can have on your overall health in more detail.
1-Conscious Smiling
Although many look at smiling as an involuntary response, it can also be a conscious decision. Some of the reasons one should consider intentionally incorporating smiling more into their everyday lives is because smiling is known to relieve stress, improve your mood, improve your immune system, lower your blood pressure and in the long run may also help you live longer.
2-Stress Relieving
Studies have demonstrated that although performing the same stressful task, the smiling group’s heart rate recovered more quickly with comparison to the subjects with a neutral expression. Various research has testified that there is an activation that occurs in the brain whether the smile is spontaneous or displayed intentionally (Basaraba, 2021). This research portrays smiling not only as a source of stress relief but also proof that smiling may help lower one’s blood pressure.
3-Strengthening Immune System
Furthermore, due to smiling relieving stress, naturally the body is in a more relaxed state. When the body is in a more relaxed state the body can function more effectively, therefore strengthening the body’s immune system. The opposite is also true, regarding staying healthier overall by eating healthier and exercising, which may all contribute to helping you feel less stressed and relaxed, thereby strengthening your immune system (Mark Stibich, 2023).
4-Mood Boosting
Lastly, a biproduct of the body being in a relaxed state and the action of smiling releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are often known as the body’s natural happy chemicals, smiling automatically aids in improving one’s overall mood (SCLHealth.org, n.d.). This has been portrayed despite the action of a smile being forced or not, turns out, or our brain does not know the difference and will reap the benefits regardless.
5-Living Longer, Healthier and Happier
To summarize, the benefits discussed were that smiling is known to relieve stress, may help lower your blood pressure, improve your mood and immune system. The benefits depicted above in culmination will all ultimately assist in living a longer and happier life. These are just five reasons why one should consider incorporating more smiles into one’s life. Considering it is such a simple action, there is no reason why you can’t make the attempt to smile more. We hope this motivates to smile more today!
References
Basaraba, S. (2021, April 1). How to De-Stress With a Smile. Retrieved from Verywell mind: https://www.verywellmind.com/beat-stress-with-as-smile-2223757
March Stibich, P. (2023, February 17). Verywell mind. Retrieved from 10 Big Benefits of Smiling:
https://www.verywellmind.com/beat-stress-with-as-smile-2223757
SCLHealth.org. (n.d.). Intermountain Health. Retrieved from SCLHealth.org.