Experience the Power of Smiling to Improve Your Health and Happiness
People tend to think of smiling as a sort of symptom of happiness, but the neuromuscular connection between the muscles that make us smile and our brains is actually much stronger than that. In fact, the simple act of smiling — whether you do so while feeling happy or not — has the power to affect your entire being, making you feel happier, improving your health, and also making those around you feel great, too!
6 Ways Smiling Is Good for Your Mood, Health, and Relationships
1. Physically Smiling Leads to Emotional Happiness
When a person smiles, the nerves and muscles in your face tell the brain that they’re smiling. In turn, the brain releases serotonin, which is a feel-good hormone that makes you feel happier. Several studies have proven that smiling makes you feel happy, rather than happiness making you smile.
2. Smiling for Pain Relief
The same serotonin that makes you feel emotionally happy and content also works as a natural pain reliever, helping those who smile to experience less physical pain.
3. Smiling Can Lower Stress and Boost Mood
Smiling individuals produce less of the stress-inducing hormone, cortisone, than those who don’t smile through stressful situations. Uplifted by the smile-induced release of serotonin, smiling people are also able to maintain a better mood when faced with stressful circumstances.
4. Smiling Makes You More Attractive
Smiling makes you more attractive. Smiling is a powerful tool in a person’s arsenal of body language. Whether you intend to become more attractive by smiling or not, you’re going to be perceived as more attractive when you smile.
5. Smiling Makes You Look Younger
Studies have found that individuals are perceived as younger when they smile, compared to wearing neutral or negative expressions. Simply smiling could shave years off your face.
6. Easy Way to Make Others Feel Good
Smiles are contagious. Similar to the way that yawning causes people near you to yawn when you yawn, when you smile, others can’t help but smile, too. Entering the world with a happy expression will help others enjoy the benefits of smiling, too.
Get the Smile That You’ve Always Wanted to Show Off
If you’ve been covering up your smile or not smiling as frequently as you would like, we welcome you to schedule a smile makeover consultation with Dr. Paul Michels at Cardinal Dental in La Mesa. During your consultation, Dr. Michels will discuss your goals and the best treatments options from our completely list of cosmetic dentistry services. We can help you get a smile that you can’t wait to show off!
