Top 11 Reasons To Smile More

Naturally, I have a serious expression on my face, which means I know full well how important body language – smiling in particular can be when it comes to forming and maintaining positive (and productive) relationships.

Smile, and the whole world smiles with you!

Smiling benefits your mind, body, and soul… And it’€™s even great for the people around you!

Your own inner peace and hope has an ability to lift up your friends, family and strangers you pass on the street.

In 2007 more than 10,000 people from 48 countries were surveyed and asked what their primary goal in life was…

For the vast majority of the surveyed, the main goal in life is €œto be happy.

The results were published in Perspectives on Psychological Sciences; Happiness was viewed as more important than success, relationships, maturity, intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, wealth and meaning of life.

That awesome thing is, researchers have hypothesized self-consciousness is a major factor in happiness… And introspective people might experience a greater smile-related mood lift than those who are less aware of their feelings. 

According to the research, facial changes involved in smiling have direct effects on certain brain activities associated with happiness.

As awesome as happiness is, it’s not the only benefit of smiling…

Here are the top 11 reasons to smile more:

1. You Seem Younger

Studies show that people sub-consciously think smiling faces are younger than sour faces. If you’€™re frowning, you look older.

If you’re someone who’s concerned with youthful appearance, listen up and start smiling a lot more!

2. Improves Mental Health

The physical act of smiling can change your brain chemistry and the emotions running through you. Some people can actually rid themselves of mild depression and chase those blues away by consciously smiling.

You might intuitively think you smile because you’re happy, and frown because you’re sad. But, the causal arrow can point in the other direction, too.

A series of recent studies implies that our emotions can be driven by their corresponding facial expressions. Interestingly, it was Charles Darwin who first proposed the idea.

He postulated in 1872,

The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it.

3. Gains Others€™ Trust

Think of two people.

OK, do you have them in your mind?

One of them is smiling, and the other one is frowning. Who do you trust more?

Studies show that the majority of people trust someone who smiles more than someone who doesn’t smile as often. Whether it’s workplace success or a romantic date, you need to smile more to gain the trust of others.

Smiling can only move you forward in life.

4. Enhances Your Immune System

When you’re under a lot of stress, the immune system doesn’€™t work as well as it should.

When you’re under a ton of stress, reducing it any way is helpful and smiling is one of the most efficient ways to de-stress.

5. Makes People Feel Closer To You 

You already know on some intuitive level that you have a natural appeal and strong allure when you smile more because of the warmth, safety, and security you project to others.

This is especially pertinent to men who are trying to attract women.

But don’t be a creep and I wouldn’t start grinning like a fool. Just have a really grounded, fulfilled kind of (genuine) smile all the time.

If you’€™ll remember the tip about outward expressions changing inward feelings, then you just might feel grounded and more fulfilled, too.

6. Increases Your Chance Of Success

People who smile a lot more often have better cognitive function, and they’re more likely to succeed in their goals, and have more opportunities to get ahead than those who don’t.

Basically, smiling increases your chances of success.

7. Minimizes The Negative Impacts Of Stress

There are recent studies showing the act of smiling, even if you force it, can lower heart rate, and can have beneficial effects on your immune system, too.

Smiling literally makes you healthier.

Whenever you get really stressed out, just force yourself to smile. Smiling not only reduces stress, but it reduces the stress of those around you, as well.

Smiling is contagious, and it’s a great workplace act that can have a positive effect on the productivity, friendliness, and well-being of those around you. Every morning, you should wake up and keep a big smile on your face, even if you aren’t feeling that cheerful on that particular day.

Just moving your muscles into a smile will boost endorphins, reducing the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which the adrenal gland releases when you feel stress. You can also repeat a positive affirmation in order to heighten that happiness.

Positive affirmations can also help reduce cortisol and adrenaline. But if your struggles with stress and anxiety are a bit too great even with smiling, I invite you to try Calm Tonic…

Calm Tonic is a safe, non-addictive, natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients especially selected to relieve the effects of anxiety, stress, worry and nervous tension without potentially dangerous side effects.

8. Increases Lifespan

Researchers from Wayne State University, link smile intensity to longevity. People who smile a lot are usually happier, have more stable personalities, more stable relationships, better cognition and enhanced interpersonal skills, according to research.

The dual effects of improved stress handling and other physical benefits can actually increase your lifespan if you smile more.

9. Reduces Blood Pressure

When you smile, your endorphins go up and your blood pressure goes down.

People who have their blood pressure monitored before and after smiling show a marked difference in their blood pressure measurement.

Just test it out if you own a blood pressure monitor.

Sit down for a couple of minutes and take a reading. Then, smile for a moment or so and take one more reading while you’re still smiling.

Do you see a difference on the blood pressure monitor?

Another study showed that if people were told to keep a facial position like smiling€“ whether they knew they were supposed to be smiling or not€“ they had lower heart rates during stressful situations.

10. Provides A Natural High

Don’t think about saying €œthank you€ with chocolates anymore, why not give someone a smile instead?

According to The British Dental Health Foundation;

“A warm smile can produce an emotional response on par with consuming 2,000 chocolate bars.  Smiling releases serotonin, natural painkillers, and endorphins.”

Studies have demonstrated that smiling releases endorphins, your own body’s natural painkillers, and serotonin, as well. Together, these things combine to make us feel good.

Smiling is a way to release our own body’s natural drugs. Have you ever heard of the phrase natural high?

Ever notice that everyone who seems to have a natural high is smiling?

11. Attracts The Opposite Sex

There have been several studies that have conclusively demonstrated that a long-onset smile (0.5 second onset) is viewed as more flirtatious and authentic, being perceived as more attractive, less dominant, and trustworthy.

If you want a stronger response from the opposite sex, simply flash a long, lasting, and genuice smile. A quick smile isn’€™t going to cut.

I’ve found that long-onset smiles are what makes the hearts of the opposite sex completely melt (and not just the ladies). 

Health by choice, not by chance. 

-David Aston