Joy may get most of the limelight, but sadness carries an important message as well. It is okay to feel sad--and it's even a natural part of life! This recognition of the importance of emotions is firmly rooted in "functionalist" theoretical approaches, which see human affective systems developed under evolutionary pressures to aid in the navigation of physical surroundings and social relationships. Like once a person moves away from their home, their memories can become tainted by the negative emotion of Sadness.
Researchers have discovered certain muscles are activated when genuine smiles occur, making a visible difference when looking at photos of yourself smiling naturally. Take a close look at one of your selfies of you smiling naturally to notice this change!
Smile Number One
Smiling can help you live a more fulfilled, healthier life. Smiling activates the "happiness" center in your brain and releases endorphins which have both physical and mental health benefits; for instance, they reduce heart rate, and blood pressure, improve mood by strengthening immunity systems, as well as prolong life expectancy studies have found. Studies also show that those who smile authentically more often (instead of fake or forced expressions) have higher odds of longevity.
Smiling has long been linked to social bonding and happiness, and its infectiousness can spread like wildfire. Simply seeing someone else smiling will instantly spark your own smile - as evidenced by chimpanzees reacting positively when their caregivers express emotion through facial expressions! The infectious nature of smiles has even been demonstrated among animal species such as chimps.
While smiling has many health and happiness benefits, few people do it as often as they should. Men tend to smile less than women, and adults even less than children! So make an effort to smile more often--particularly with your cheeks and eyes--rather than just using your mouth for it. Research has determined that genuine "Duchenne" smiles (ones which stretch from corners of eyes all the way across cheekbones) offer greater health and happiness benefits.
Smile Number Two
Genuine smiles involve not just your mouth but also your eyes and forehead muscles, providing many health and psychological advantages over simply smiling with lips only (think "say cheese" smile in photographs). By engaging all those muscles authentically when smiling, more happiness and healthiness will result in life.
Smiling releases neuropeptides that strengthen neural communication while also producing those feel-good endorphins that come with running or exercise - including endorphins that help relax you and lower blood pressure.
You may have heard the saying, "Smile and the world will smile with you," but it turns out this phrase doesn't just apply to cute sayings; smiling actually changes how your brain responds to negative emotions and stimuli. According to studies conducted on people who smile regularly they tend to experience less stress while finding more solutions than those who don't.
Nurses frequently need to deal with patients in difficult circumstances and the best way to convey empathy is with a smile. Not only does a smile convey that you understand their situation and accept them for who they are, it helps create trust between nurses and patients as well as establish interpersonal relationships.
M'Lynn (Sally Field), from "Steel Magnolias", can be seen laughing raucously while visiting her daughter's gravestone in the cemetery. Despite what was happening around her, M'Lynn's laugh wasn't fake: this is because the zygomaticus major muscle (which causes your lips to form into smiles) doesn't contract when people experience true grief, but rather does so when people pretend happiness. So next time you feel down or saddened try force putting on a smile - see what effect that has!
Smile Number Three
If someone's told you to "cheer up" and smile, it may sound like an annoying platitude; however, there is a good reason why smiling can help change your outlook on life and reduce stress levels. Smiling releases neuropeptides which improve communication between nerves as well as neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin that help elevate mood; additionally studies have demonstrated that smiling is contagious! Studies have proven that others around you unconsciously mimic your smile!
Smiling can help increase your sense of control, decrease negative thoughts, and relax you. According to one study, researchers found that patients with high blood pressure who wore masks while smiling showed less physical stress compared with those wearing the same mask without smiles. Furthermore, those who smiled had lower heart rates and recovered faster after stress tests.
Studies have also shown that smiling helps you feel more confident and sociable. At work, this could increase your odds of receiving a promotion; and in your personal life, it could make you more desirable to others. According to one yearbook photo study conducted over 30 years later, people who regularly smiled in their early twenties were more likely to have successful marriages 30 years later.
No matter your mood, smiling can make all the difference in how others perceive and respond to you. Practice standing in front of a mirror and copying some of the smiles from around you until they become second nature - soon you'll notice an increase in happiness levels and response levels from others!
Smile Number Four
Have you heard the phrase, "Smile and the world will smile back"? Although this might sound corny, smiling is one of the best ways to boost your mood and reduce stress levels, strengthen immunity systems, and even extend your lifespan. Simply the act of smiling releases feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine into the bloodstream that will leave you happier, healthier, and more resilient than before.
People use polite smiles in various situations, from trying to reassure someone to conveying trustworthiness and good intentions. Such smiles, which are known as affiliative ones, typically feature an upward pull of lips with possible cheek dimples that result. Affiliative smiles also serve to communicate feelings of belongingness, affection, and empathy between two individuals.
Affiliated smiles may come off as forced and artificial; however, there are a few steps you can take to make them seem more genuine. Try adjusting facial muscles for more expressive smiles; tilt the head so as to avoid that unattractive double chin effect; use makeup, clothing, or improve dental hygiene to enhance it further, and use your smile to complete your looks!
Smiling can be challenging when you're feeling down or stressed out, but its rewards far outweigh its difficulties. Smiling is truly worth your while - here are just a few benefits of smiling:
Next time you feel down, try forcing yourself to smile for several minutes. At first, it may feel awkward but soon it will become second nature - when someone else smiles back at you be sure to reciprocate! You could also practice positive thinking and gratitude which are proven ways of improving mood as well as volunteering which increases happiness while strengthening immunity systems.
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