It might sound silly but smiling improves your whole life. In fact, scientists have long been able to identify numerous advantages attributed to the smile. The power in a smile can bring more happiness and satisfaction and have tangible benefits in social interactions and professional careers. See? Plenty of good reasons to smile.
Nevertheless, smiling might feel a little more difficult during turbulent times. Instead of smiling, frowning and long faces are everywhere. That’s why the caring professionals at Danville Family Dentistry explain what meaning a smile can have and what advantages a smile brings.
What a Smile Says About You
The smile is a universal signal among humans. It’s understood, interpreted, and read all over the world. Even babies smile and don’t have to learn this physical reaction. Regardless of the culture and society, the original meaning of a smile is the same: It stands for friends, a good mood, and shows openness and trust in another.
A genuine, honest smile comes from the heart. For example, a fake smile can be a sign of deceit. A nervous smile can show insecurity or apprehension, especially in unpleasant situations in which you might not know how to behave.
The meaning of a smile differs depending on the situation. Most people, however, have a very good sense of how sincere a smile is and can interpret whether it’s genuine joy or insincerity.
When Do Adults Stop Smiling So Much?
The parents who visit our office agree that children are a constant source of joy. Kids also show that joy to the outside world. British researchers found that children smile around 400 times a day and laugh up to 150 times.
Unfortunately, the studies also show that over the years, your smiling frequency wanes more and more. Adults only smile 15 times a day on average, and they only laugh six times a day. Accounting for about eight hours of sleep, that’s not even a smile per hour.
Of course, there are lots of reasons for this lack of smiling. On the one hand, with adulthood comes the seriousness of life. You’re forced to carry much more responsibility, expectations have to be met, and worries endured. With mounting pressure, it becomes increasingly difficult to smile.
In addition, adults have less time for leisure, hobbies, and other fun things that help you relax. Instead, the day is spent with professional and private commitments, which can undoubtedly trigger joy but might make you laugh far less often.
Best Reasons to Smile More Often
Smiling has many positive effects that you can benefit from. Here are some of the best reasons to smile more often.
- Smiling immediately puts you in a good mood.
Smiling isn’t just an expression of joy, but it’s also a trigger. Researchers show in various studies that a smile immediately makes you happier and creates a better mood.
Here’s a surprising fact: your brain doesn’t care whether there’s actually a reason to smile at all. This so-called facial feedback hypothesis means that even if you just smile at yourself for no reason, you will feel better. The muscles involved in the smile signal that travels to your brain cells releases happiness hormones.
- Smiling helps you learn and remember better.
The effects of a smile are often underestimated or wrongly limited to joy and satisfaction. In fact, smiling can even improve your learning skills. This is the result of a study at Marquette University in Wisconsin. Researchers showed that participants who laughed 30 minutes after a learning process could remember instructional content better. Japanese studies also came to a similar conclusion, in which test subjects in a memory game showed significantly better memory ability if they had laughed vigorously beforehand.
- Smile Relieves Pain
The endorphins released when smiling make you feel happy, but they also have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiety-relieving effects. Those who suffer from slight pain can smile away, so to speak. It even works preventively. A study at the University of Zurich found that laughing even half an hour after watching a funny film leads to higher pain tolerance.
Start Smiling More Today
There are many reasons that smiling improves your life. Besides relieving pain and making you happy, it helps you make friends and experience positive job interviews. Whether your smile is authentic or you’re just faking it, you’ll reap the benefits of turning that frown upside down.
When was the last time you had your smile checked out? Call our experts at Danville Family Dentistry at 317-745-4400 today.
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Disclaimer: The information included in this article is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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