When we're truly feeling well, smiles come naturally, as a natural outward sign of joy, happiness, appreciation, amusement, enthusiasm, or pleasure. It's not normal to smile when you're sad or worried. But it turns out that smiling can be the best thing you can do when you're ready to shift to a happier, more positive mood. If laughter is therapeutic, smiling is no less so. Smiling is healthy even when there's no reason to do so, and making the effort to recall pleasant memories that bring a smile to your face is the best way to ward off anger, tension, or aggression.
Considering the health benefits, smiling is more than just a muscle movement to create a specific expression on your face. This simple gesture triggers a series of mechanisms in the body that positively impact your health:
Reduces stressSmiling, and especially laughter, helps control the elevated secretion of cortisol and adrenaline that stress induces, among many other things. Smiling has a calming effect in stressful, unexpected, or painful situations, which not only helps you cope better with these moments but also transmits peace of mind to others.
The main organs of the body are energized: The hormonal release generated by laughter stimulates the brain, heart and lungs.
Improves immune responseTension, anger, sadness, or stress generate an excess of hormones that can limit the immune system's ability to react, paving the way for infection or other diseases. Smiling, however, improves the activity of natural killer cells, which modulate the function of the immune system.
Helps relieve pain: Laughter releases endorphins, which help modulate pain and improve pain tolerance.
Helps control cardiovascular health: Laughing, smiling, reduces blood pressure and activates blood circulation, increasing blood oxygenation.
Moderates blood glucose levelsStudies have been done on this subject. It has been proven that even if a diabetic laughs after a meal, his blood glucose level (postprandial glucose) does not increase, and his blood pressure actually decreases.
Laughter is physical exercise: 15 minutes of stationary biking produces the same energy expenditure as 100 episodes of laughter. What's more, laughing clears the airways.
Smiling parks negative emotionsFear, aggression, and anger are emotions that are combated with laughter. With laughter, tense situations and painful emotions are soothed and give way to calm.
Improves confidence and social skillsA person who wears a smile communicates and relates better, probably because smiling gives them the self-confidence to interact with others. People also feel comfortable around those who smile.
The body and mind are connected, so tell your body where you want to be and your mind will do the rest. Try it! Smile, smile, and do it until your entire body, mind, and energy are doing the same.
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