Did you ever really notice the power of a smile? Did you ever have a bad day that was transformed simply by someone smiling and being kind to you? Smiling is certainly infectious and can be a real mood booster. Smiling does whole lot more though and there is science to back it up. Smiling can affect your brain, your body and those around you too. The benefits of smiling are endless.
Your Smile and Your Brain
Scientists have found that the physical act of smile causes your brain to release tiny molecules called neuropeptides. These molecules actually help you deal with stress and manage all your emotions including happiness, sadness, fear and anger, so no wonder you feel better about life when you smile. When you smile, dopamine, endorphins and serotonin all flood your body, lowering your blood pressure and your heart rate and allowing you to relax. Did you know that endorphins can also help with pain? Try to smile the next time you experience some minor pain and see how much better you feel.
Life can be hard sometimes and we all will go through periods of anxiety, depression and pain, but isn’t it great to now that there is a natural way to deal with all this? Don’t risk becoming over reliant on pharmaceuticals to deal with these issues. Just smile more, even when you don’t feel like it. You will be amazed at the difference.
Your Smile and Your Body
People are always telling me I should smile more, that it lights up my face. I never know if they are just saying that to be kind or telling the truth, but there is scientific evidence that we all respond better to a smiling face. Recent studies have found that a beautiful smile triggers the orbitofrontal cortex in your brain to make you feel rewarded. A study out of Scotland also discovered that both men and women were more attracted to people who smiled and made eye contact with them. This is why you can’t help smiling back when someone smiles at you. Who knew there were so many benefits to smiling?
Your Smile as a Gift to Others
Just like you can’t help responding to someone who smiles at you, others will naturally respond to your smile as well. Your smile has the ability to lift someone up when they are feeling down. How cool is that? And it is contagious. Not only will you lift their spirits you will make them want to smile too, setting off a positive chain reaction. Think about how much easier it will be to connect with important people in your life and wow the bosses at work with a beautiful smile.
The part of your brain responsible for unconscious responses called the cingulate cortex will actually cause you to copy someone else’ facial expressions. So smiles are contagious after all. Even if you try to purposely frown in reaction, you will find it hard to fight back that answering smile. Don’t fight it; embrace it. Why not enjoy the benefits it will sure to bring?
It’s a Win-Win
With all the benefits to you and to those around you, there is no down side to smiling. Making the effort to truly engage with people no matter who worried, sad, or stressed you are feeling can really pay off. The benefits of smiling are hard to resist. Direct eye contact and a big smile can really make a difference. Not only will you feel better, but you make those around you feel better too. And by reducing stress and inflammation in your body, you are giving yourself a better shot at living a healthier life.
It is amazing how big of an impact your smile can have on your life and the lives of others so it is important no matter what life throws at you to always have a smile on your face. Don’t think of it as pretending to feel happy when you are not. Instead look at it as proactively choosing to feel positive regardless of what is happening around you.
Take care of your smile
Unfortunately, the health of your smile can affect how your smile looks and how people respond to it so make sure you are practicing good oral hygiene and are seeing your dentist for cleanings and checkups on a regular basis. Of course, if you are worried about how your smile looks or experience a lot of mouth pain, then you are probably more likely to hide your smile. If you find that you don’t like to smile in pictures and tend to hide your mouth behind your hand when you are talking, then it is time to do something about it.
Whether your teeth are not as white as they could be or you have crooked or missing teeth, there are affordable solutions that can help you achieve that beautiful smile you have always wanted. Set up a consultation appointment with an orthodontist who specializes in cosmetic dentistry and find out what your options are. From teeth whitening to veneers to braces, there are a lot of options to choose from. Make sure you do your research and talk to a few orthodontists before deciding on a particular path. Each orthodontist will go over with you how long each procedure will take and what results you can expect as well as how much it will cost. Choose the orthodontist you are most comfortable with and who has the most experience in the procedures you are considering having done.
Just because you may not have been born with a beautiful smile doesn’t mean you are doomed to never reap the benefits of smiling. If you are not comfortable with the condition of your smile right now then do something about it. There are too many good things that come from smiling for you not to make your smile a priority. It affects too many aspects of your life. Your smile is probably something most of us tend to take for granted until something happens to it. Be proactive and take care of your smile everyday.
