What do you know about smiling? It’s common knowledge that we find a smiling face more welcoming and approachable, and that there are all sorts of different smiles*, some of which we naturally warm to and others that we are suspicious of. But research is beginning to show that smiling provides benefits which are scientifically valid.
The US Association for Psychological Science reports on experiments that were carried out, requiring subjects to undertake stressful tasks. Some of them were asked to adopt genuine (‘Duchenne’) smiles, some had their faces contorted into smiles artificially by using chopsticks, and some retained a neutral expression. This is what the research found:
The results of the study suggest that smiling may actually influence our physical state: compared to participants who held neutral facial expressions, participants who were instructed to smile, and in particular those with Duchenne smiles, had lower heart rate levels after recovery from the stressful activities. The participants who held chopsticks in a manner that forced them to smile, but were not explicitly told to smile as part of the training, also reported a smaller decrease in positive affect compared to those who held neutral facial expressions.
Smiling is also thought to assist our immune function, help you live longer (Abel & Kruger, 2010) and release endorphins. It seems proven, therefore, that smiling is good for you, and it’s worth making an effort to do it more. But does it help with worry?
The answer is yes! Try this now: think of something that worries you, keeping your face neutral. Then hold the thought, and ask your face to smile. It doesn’t have to be a big grin, although I personally find that’s often a good place to start. If a cheesy grin feels artificial, just let your eyes sparkle and feel a glow spreading from them to other parts of your face. A gentle smile that’s almost more of an inner smile. Good, that’s it! Now, what has happened to your worrying thought? Chances are you have either let it go or it has diminished in strength. Magic!
Smiling is one of many first aid items for the committed anti-worrier. I first learned about its benefits from Tracy Shave, artist, comedian and expert in smiling and laughter. NowI try to remember to smile as broadly as I can every morning, as soon as I wake up, before my eyes have opened or my brain has started to think. This one strategy has made an enormous difference to how my day starts, how I feel in the first part of the day (often a challenge to anyone tending to depression) and how easy I find it to get up and about.
It’s also a great antidote to that stomach-lurching feeling you get when anticipating bad news. When I check my bank account or collect the post, I paste a smile on first. If I am going to make a difficult phone call, I take a moment to remember to smile and it all gets so much easier. Smiling changes my focus so that I’m no longer anticipating the worst, and as we all know, what we focus on tends to increase!
Of course it’s a good idea, and good for your health both mental and physical, to smile for any reason and none as much as possible during the day. If you can find a reason to smile, then that’s really wonderful. If you haven’t been presented with one, then looking for one can lift your mood itself. And even if reasons are hard to come by, why not invite your smile muscles to have a workout, just to see what happens?
I was once told by someone I ran a business with not to smile so much because it looked unprofessional. Needless to say, I don’t work with them any more and I smile as much as I want to. I trust myself to have an appropriately solemn expression when it would be disrespectful not to, but oddly enough it’s not all that often!
Do you make a purposeful effort to smile? And what benefits does this bring? If not, could you give it a try? Which parts of your life could you improve with an extra smile?
*I found a site on the internet telling me there are 19 different smiles. I suspect other researchers have found both more and fewer than this.
What an interesting post, Harriet. I don’t think I paste a smile on very often, but I have! Most of the time, I am either happy or at least content, so I do smile a lot! xx
Whenever I see you, you are smiling Caroline! Thanks for commenting x
Yay! spreading the news of smiling! Great stuff Harriet – glad that I inspired you to look into this further – always makes me laugh that when I started the Share A Smile campaign back in 2010 that someone was concerned about it asking “is there any proof that smiling is good for you?” – I told them to say this statement into a voice recorder and then play it back so they could hear how funny it was…! :D I’m doing some more Smile stuff this year! :D
Hooray Tracy, you did inspire me! Please keep me posted about what you are doing x
Harriet, I learn so much from you! Every day I write a little chore list for my youngest, little Mack, and at the end I always draw a big smiley face and write “Smile!” He has always regarded that smiley face with a narrowed eye. Today I’ll tell him that I want him to smiile because it’s good for him and it’ll actually make him healthier! Very cool!
How lovely, Amy! I am really moved to know that something I have written is having a tiny part in your household all those miles away. You sound like a wonderful mother and Mack is lucky to have you!
As they say- smile and the whole world smiles with you- because your psyche reflects that attitude and it shines through.
So true, Roy, thank you.
Once again, fantastic information! It’s totally true – you can turn yourself around with a smile! Thanks for the reminder.
Carrie
Thanks for commenting, I love the phrase ‘turn yourself around with a smile.’
My smile was what got me my current job 7 years ago, my bosses actually told me that they are drawn to my smile during the 2 interviews.
For the pass 7 years they have never seen me frown or vent my anger even though I am handling a lot of work and family stress. I always maintain a cheerful attitude when I am at work and also when I’m with my family. It makes me push my troubles and stress to the back of my mind, to deal with them later.
So smile every one! Its definitely good for you and every one around you.
What a fabulous attitude, thanks for sharing.
Ahh the power of a smile :)
My ex husband used to tell me I was too happy, I have never quite figured out what that means. I love smiling, I love laughter, I love play! Smile Smile Smile :)
Thanks Kama, you are an inspiration!
My friend Sally posted a poem on Facebook in response to this post. Here it is:
A smile costs nothing, but gives a lot.
It enriches those who receive it without making poorer those who give it.
A smile takes only a moment, but the memory of it can last forever.
No one is so rich, or so mighty, that they can get a long without a smile.
And no one is so poor that they cannot be made richer by a smile.
A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business and is the
counter sign of friendship.
A smile brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the
sad and is nature’s best cure for trouble
Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen for it is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
Some people are too tired to give a smile so give them one of yours as no one needs a smile so much as he who has no more of his own to give.
It is hard not to smile when you read about smiling. I am out walking my dog every day and I make sure I smile at everyone – even the misery guts who tries to not catch my eye – they also get a cheery good morning. I love it!
I do that too – it’s so nice to connect with people and I figure that the miserable ones who won’t look at me or say hello just haven’t got any cheerfulness to spare so they need everything I can give them!
Lovely Harriet, it certainly bought a smile to my face. I knew that smiling made me feel good, but being a bit of a facts junkie, I love the research that goes with it!
Thanks
Lyn
Smiling a lot now…. thank you and I love the bit about smiling to pick up the post!! xx