Last week, we discussed the status of our New Year’s resolutions and goals we can set to have healthier teeth, one of which highlights the wonders of adopting a smile to look and feel youthful. This week, let’s take a closer look at the science behind a smile and just how useful this commonly use human expression can be.
It’s no secret that a happy moment can inspire a great smile. But what if that were also a true statement the other way around? What if a smile itself could spark joy, even in a seemingly non-joyful situation. And how can we channel the benefits of something so simple and easy to do for our benefit? Now we have some answers.
Smiling as Treatment
Scientists Tara Kraft and Sarah Tessman at the University of Kansas examined 169 people engaging in a slightly stressful activity while some held a chopstick in their mouths. The chopsticks served a simple purpose: to force a smile on their faces. The study showed that test subjects with bigger smiles experienced significant heart rate reduction and faster recovery from stress when compared to those whose facial expressions remained unchanged. What this says is that a simple smile can physically change the way we feel and respond to the world. It can correct stress and enhance a positive mood with a simple facial muscle activation that doesn’t cost a thing.
The Bigger the Better
But all smiles aren’t created equal. We know that the size and authenticity of the smile you make are just important as the smile itself. In this study, test subjects were asked to engage in mildly stressful activities. Tasks included drawing with a non-dominant hand or submerging their hands in a bucket of freezing cold water. While people with bigger smiles reported higher indicators of happiness, even those with smaller smiles experienced a positive shift. “These findings,” said Tessman, “show that smiling during brief stressors can help to reduce the intensity of the body’s stress response, regardless of whether a person actually feels happy.”
This is an incredible bit of knowledge as we go about our days inevitably experiencing one slight annoyance at a time. That’s just how life goes. But even just a moment to adjust your smile can align the body and align your attitude. So, next time you feel blue, put on your best smile. Then go make the world around you a happier place to be.