The Benefits of Smiling During Your Day
Mar 14, 2024
Written by: Joe Jardine
We say it all the time, but when you're battling anxiety or depression, look for something you can control. Most often you can't think your way out of anxiety, you have to work your way out of it. We've talked before about the power of your posture, or using different coping mechanisms, but this one just might be the simplest and easiest of them all. Smiling.
It's free, and it has a host of benefits! In this blog post, we will discuss some of the surprising benefits of smiling during your day. From improving your mood to making you more attractive, smiling has a lot to offer. So next time you're feeling down, try putting on a smile – you might be surprised at how good it makes you feel!
What are the benefits of smiling during your day?
There are a lot of different benefits for both your mental and physical health, but here are just a few:
Smiling improves your mood
When you smile, it releases endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers and mood-boosters. This can help improve your mood and make you feel happier.
Smiling is contagious
When you see someone smile, it’s natural to want to smile too. And when you do, it makes you feel good and spreads positivity! Happiness is reciprocal.
Smiling builds your confidence
In a study published in the journal Psychological Science, researchers found that people were rated as more attractive when they were smiling.
Smiling lowers your blood pressure
When you smile, your body relaxes and your heart rate slows down. This can help you feel calmer in stressful situations.
Smiling boosts your immune system
When you smile, your body releases infection-fighting antibodies, which can help improve your overall health and well-being.
Smiling increases your lifespan
A study of more than 300,000 people found that those who smiled more often lived longer than those who didn’t.
Why is it important to smile even when you don't feel like it?
It's a fair question. I mean, few things are more awkward than a forced smile in the middle of a terrible day. But here's the deal. Why is it important to smile even when you don't feel like it Because it can trick your brain into feeling better.
When you smile, your brain releases neurochemical substances such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These neurochemicals interact with the receptors in your brain to produce positive emotions such as happiness, pleasure, and relief. So even if you don't feel like smiling on the inside, forcing yourself to smile can give you a quick boost of happiness. Your brain doesn't know the difference!
Smiling has a lot of benefits for both your mental and physical health, and it's one of the simplest things you can do to improve your mood. Next time you're feeling down, try putting on a smile – you might be surprised at how good it makes you feel!
Do you struggle with anxiety in ways you can no longer handle?
You can't keep track of the number of panic attacks you've had this week. You feel like you're drowning all the time and the only thing that can stop the feeling is sleep. So you try to sleep, but your racing thoughts keep you awake. And when you finally do fall into slumber, it doesn't take long before you're awake again and that drowning feeling returns. You're lucky if you have a minute of calm before the storm hits again.
