Laughter and happiness: Do you smile enough?

Think about the moment in which your partner arrives home and smiles at
you or when you come across a stranger and he/she smiles at you.
People who tend to smile quite often also transmit a sense of self-confidence,
charisma and charm. They are also healthier people.

How many times do you smile per day?

A child smiles between 400 and 500 times a day. Smiling is an innate ability
of human beings which is reduced over the years due to concerns and
worries.
If we don’t take care of ourselves, the times that we smile per day as adults
can be reduced up to an average of 20-25 times.

What can you achieve by smiling?

Smiling improves your health.

Facial muscles are connected to our brain. Even with a fake smile, our brain
believes that we are genuinely laughing and releases endorphins, serotonin
and natural painkillers. These substances relax the muscles, bring oxygen
to our body and regulate our heart rate.
A smile has also been related with the reduction of stress hormones such as
adrenalin, cortisol and dopamine and the reduction of blood pressure.

You feel happier.

When you smile, your brain thinks that you are happy and releases
substances which actually help you to feel cheerful as it has been proven by
the following research compilation.
In one of these studies, the participants had to hold a pencil with their mouth
for a while so that their faces would draw a smile. At the end of this test, most
participants confirmed a mood improvement.
Don’t you believe it yet? Try to burst out laughing in front of a mirror for ten
seconds, even if you feel sad.

Greater success in your social relationships.

When you smile at someone, even if it is to a stranger in the street, you are
likely to receive that smile back. Half the people smile back at a stranger as it
is showed in the following study.
Smiling doesn’t just bring you joy but it also sends a message to other
people of what kind of person you are (sociable, trustworthy and
approachable).
A study of the University of Harvard showed that a happy person is likely to
make happy to those surrounding him/her over 25% times more than
someone who is feeling sad.

Experiment with a smile:

Start to smile more often. It is free. You will improve your life and those
surrounding you. I recommend a one-day experiment in which you smile as
much as you can to finally analyse the results at the end of the day.

Don’t miss the 31-day smile experiment carried out by Isra García. Its results
leave no doubt about it.