Have you ever noticed how someone’s attitude changes when you look at another person’s expression? A frown could spoil a deal, and a smile could melt a heart. If given a choice, most of us would pick to melt a heart in any situation. So that’s one reason to smile.
A smile is a facial expression that often radiates positivity. If you have been blue with the challenges of life, smiling might not seem like an option. But here at LiveTray, we have eleven reasons to make you smile. Read on if you want us to change your mind.
1. Relieves Stress
If you have ever been stressed about meeting someone new and aren’t sure how they are going to receive your presence, just smile. Smiling releases endorphin, which is a “feel good” chemical in our brains that relieves stress. It will immediately change their opinion about you and ease the tension, and they are more likely to smile back. Smiling is an infectious involuntary action that relieves stress from both parties.
2. Makes You More Attractive
Would you approach a grumpy salesperson at the mall or a happy looking one? Obviously the latter, right? It’s because a smile puts others at ease and make them seem more approachable. Likewise, when you smile often, people around you are more drawn to your energy and want to be around you. It makes you more attractive and appealing.
3. Look younger
No matter what life throws at you when you smile often, it is hard to be low or depressed. Stress and negative thoughts make people age much faster. Practicing to smile through the hard times makes us deal with the hardships better. And when you have lesser stress, it shows on your skin, and that’s the secret to looking younger!
4. Elevates Mood
Smiling elevates mood in many ways. It has the same effect on you as it does on someone else. Besides releasing endorphins, smiling also releases serotonin in our brains. This chemical boosts mood and even the immune system. When your serotonin level rises, depressing thoughts and stress are replaced by happy thoughts. The amount is not always physically noticeable, but the feeling does change the way you see life and how you deal with situations.
5. It’s Contagious
Many social experiments show that smiling is contagious. When you see someone genuinely expressing joy through their expression, it is difficult not to imitate the same feeling. It is as inevitable as looking at a happy kid and being stuck in a sad mood. So next time you want to see someone smile, or if you need to smile, be around someone who smiles. You will feel how contagious the feeling is, and you will also feel much better to smile often.
6. Boosts Immune System
Smiling is a sign of contentment and happiness. When you are physically content, your mental health is stable too. Without sad distractions, your brain becomes more focused on vital functions that keep your body healthy. So indirectly, a healthy mind is a healthy body, and smiling keeps your body healthy because your immune system is not distracted.
7. Lowers Blood Pressure
One of the leading causes of high blood pressure is stress. And we’ve already mentioned that smiling reduces stress. When you smile and often laugh, your heart rate increases, followed by a period of muscle relaxation. When your heart muscles are relaxed, it regulates pressure and lowers the risks of heart diseases.
8. Relieves Pain
It might seem unlikely, but smiling through a physical injury relieves pain. Many studies have proven this because smiling releases a natural pain killer in our brain. These are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphin. These feel-good chemicals increase pain tolerance and ease the feeling. It also connects to the theory that since smiling releases stress, even your body is more relaxed to ward off pain.
9. Live Longer
Since smiling improves your overall health, you are more likely to live longer when you engage in smiling and laughing more often. The positive effects of what smiling does to your body internally and how it affects people you encounter are inter-related. So when you show positive emotions, you are more likely to live a longer, healthier life.
10. Improves Relationships
Since smiling is contagious and attractive and elevates mood, it is one of the best tactics for improving relationships. It makes it easier to build bonds and maintain a stable connection even during hard times. For example, if you can smile during unpleasant conversations, your brains perceive the positive sides of it, making you better deal with a difficult situation.
11. Smiling Brings Success
Everyone’s goal is to be successful in life, but success does not favor a mood person. Whether you are approaching a new client or introducing potential clients, a smile always goes a long way. It shows that you are approachable and looking forward to a positive outcome.
A smile is also a sign of being successful. It is rare to see a successful person who is always grumpy. Once your smile radiates, you will be able to create genuine bonds in business and personal relationships.
Bottom Line
Smiling is beneficial for the overall health of your mind and body. It benefits you and the people around you. So whenever you are feeling down or see someone else need a little emotional boost, use your smile as often as you can.
