How Smiling Affects Your Health

“You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”

That may be true, but besides completing your look, smiling has other benefits, too.

In fact, smiling can actually impact your health! Here’s how:

Smiling lowers stress, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Smiling releases certain chemicals into the bloodstream—like dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin—that can have a positive impact on your stress levels.

Dopamine creates feelings of pleasure in the body, and a lack of dopamine can lead to things like low motivation and lack of enthusiasm. Endorphins can help to ease feelings of anxiety and depression. Serotonin is related to reduced stress, along with overall well-being and happiness.

Smiling, even during tense situations, can help release these chemicals, which can help you feel less stressed. This may, in turn, lower your heart rate and blood pressure, having a much larger impact on your overall health.

Smiling strengthens relationships.

Strong relationships are important when it comes to living a healthy life. People in happy, committed relationships tend to be healthier, live longer, and have less stress.

A smile is a universal symbol of friendship. Smiling sends a message to other people that you are friendly, inviting, and likable, which could help you form new friendships. And if it’s romance you’re looking for, you’ll definitely want to put a smile on your face; smiling helps you appear more attractive.

Smiling can also help you strengthen the relationships you already have. Smiles and laughter can help you make up after an argument, and can create overall feelings of closeness.

Smiling improves productivity.

Happier people are usually more productive at work. Remember the feel-good chemicals we mentioned before? Well, they can also contribute to productivity in the workplace, helping you stay positive, less stressed, and more engaged.

Smiling can improve your work relationships as well, helping you come across as confident and trustworthy. In fact, this is one reason while smiling is important during an interview; it will help your potential employer trust you more, and like you more!

Job satisfaction can play a big role in your health, as disliking your job can lead to anxiety, depression, and high stress.

Smiling can help strengthen your immune system.

Depression weakens your immune system. People who smile more tend to be healthier overall, and get sick less.

This is largely due, again, to the chemicals smiling produces. Negative thoughts release chemicals that tend to harm your immune system, as they bring your entire system into a state of stress. In contrast, positive thoughts (and the chemicals that come with them) help your body remain in a more positive, relaxed state, thereby benefiting your immune system.

Smiling can help relieve pain.

Once again, this comes down to chemicals, mostly endorphins. Endorphins create a sort of “high” sensation in the body, which can help reduce feelings of pain, or increase pain tolerance. Suddenly, “grin and bear it” seems like pretty good advice, after all.

At Smile Concepts, we know the power of a great smile—not just in helping you feel and look your best, but also in helping you stay happy and healthy throughout your life.

If you want help getting your best smile, contact Smile Concepts today. We can’t wait to give you the smile of your dreams!

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