Smile habit to relieve stress

Smile Habit to Relieve Stress Few people would argue that smiling is bad for you, but the latest research is showing just how many ways smiling is beneficial to your well-being. We know smiling can greatly improve your mood and reduce stress. Smiling doesn͛t just benefit you on the inside. It also works to your advantage from the outside. One study found that people who smile appear to be more likeable, courteous and competent. This is just enough to smile at every person you potentially want to do business with. Lifting those facial muscles into a smile is also contagious; if you smile and they smile, everyone in the room becomes a little happier. Researchers also concluded that frowning when looking at someone smiling is possible, but would be very difficult. Why is a smile so powerful? It all comes down to how smiling can change your brain and thus relieve stress.

The Power of a Genuine Smile The most interesting discovery is the indication that all smiles have a positive impact on stress levels. According to psychologists and behavioral experts, human smiles can be divided into two categories; standard smiles and Duchene smiles. The latter category describes the type of smile which is spontaneous. It emerges as a response to something really enjoyable. It could be a joke, a funny picture, the company of a close friend, or a good coffee.

A Duchene smile can be identified by the wrinkles that it creates around the mouth and eyes.

You might have heard it said before that only reliable people smile with the whole face and this is true in some ways. The more genuine the smile, the more involvement from the eyes and mouth. In the past, experts believed that only Duchene smiles had a notable impact on stress relief.

However, a recent study asked two groups of students to smile in a certain way. The first group held a Duchene smile and the second a standard smile. A third ͚control group͛ was asked to maintain a neutral expression. The interesting part is that the three smiling groups did not smile spontaneously. The researchers used chopsticks to engage the facial muscles usually involved in each of these expressions. Here͛s what smiling does to our body.

Endorphins make us feel happier and less stressed They also act as the body͛s natural pain killers. For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and smiling can be effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an elbow or fall over.

A good laugh can be a great way to release emotions A good laugh can help you release emotions, especially those emotions that you might bottle up inside. Everything looks that little bit better after a good laugh and life can be seen from a more positive perspective.

A happy, positive expression will serve you well in life This is particularly true for challenging situations such as job interviews. A smiling, relaxed person indicates confidence and an ability to cope well in stressful situations. This will also be of benefit in your career, building healthy relationships with colleagues and being seen in a favorable light by your employers.

The next time you are having a tough day, feeling under the weather, or are just a bit fed up with work, why not have a go and see if the experts are right? According to them, it takes just one smile to bring stress levels down, lower the heart rate, and make a person feel a lot better about themselves. It is time to make all of those trips to the dentist count and start wearing your teeth with pride.