7 reasons why you should smile every day

When it comes to striking a conversation, a smile is as important as the language itself. Many studies have confirmed that a genuine smile is considered to be attractive to others, while a negative expression such as a frown or a scowl works in the opposite manner. According to SocialPro, “making a concerted effort to smile when you’ve just met a person or when the other person is smiling makes you more approachable to other people, and also makes them feel comfortable.” Despite this, we don’t smile every day, as if we have forgotten how significant it is.

Research claims that on average, children smile 400 times per day, compared to adults who smile 40 to 50 times. It’s like someone saying our lives become grey and listless as we grow old, which is certainly not true. If anything, a smile is a hue that makes everything colourful. Time and again, studies have shown what a humble smile is capable of achieving. Apart from offering a mental boost, it also comes with numerous health benefits like reducing blood pressure and boosting your immune system, leading to a long, happy, and stress-free life.

What are the other reasons you should smile every day? What makes your smile all the more valuable? Why is it important for you to smile more often? This article attempts to answer these questions.

A smile is a stress buster

According to a study by the University of Kansas, smiling more often helps in bringing down stress levels and also strengthens your heart. When you smile, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, which act as pain relievers and antidepressants, therefore helping your muscles and mind to relax.

Smiling uplifts the mood

The idea of ‘fake it till you make it’ seems to be true when it comes to smiling. Next time you’re feeling low, try forcing a smile. It can trick your brain into elevating your mood as it triggers the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, which increases your happiness quotient.

Smiling helps you stay positive

Talking about the impact of smiling on your mind, a leading researcher at the University of South Australia, Dr. Marmolejo Ramos, says, “When your muscles say you are happy, you are more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.” He further states that when you forcefully practise smiling, it stimulates the amygdala, the emotional centre of the brain, which releases neurotransmitters to encourage a positive state of mind.

Smiling improves your health and immunity

When you smile, your brain releases hormones that not only make you feel happy but also boost your immunity. It decreases your stress levels, keeps your blood pressure in check, and regulates your heart rate, all of which help in enhances your overall wellbeing. Smiling also leads to the release of serotonin, which stimulates white blood cells to fight against infections in the body.

Smiling helps you live longer

With a stable and stronger immune system, your average lifespan also increases. A study by ScienceDirect established the connection between happiness and longevity where it showed how happiness can significantly impact your wellbeing and increase your lifespan.

A smile makes you approachable and confident

When you smile in front of nervous someone, it soothes their nerves. Because your smile helps you reflect an image of a person who is approachable or true to confide in. This is why even body language experts advise us to wear a smile in an interview. It shows the interviewer you are not just warm and approachable in nature, but also confident and well-prepared.

A smile makes others around you happy

You must have heard about ‘Infectious smile’. This phrase in itself explains how your smile can magically reflect on a bystander’s face instantly. Research published in Science Daily has proven that, often, when there is someone smiling in the room, the others too unconsciously start smiling. It is also a good ice-breaker and helps forge deeper connections.