1.) Lower Heart Rate – Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. This lets the heart work without overworking. People who smile and laugh often are less likely to develop heart disease. Smiling also temporarily reduces blood pressure (1).
2.) Increase Productivity – Smiling has been shown to increase your productivity while preforming tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated and working harder after a few moments of smiling or laughter (1).
3.) Kill Pain – Smiling and laughter both have been shown to lessen pain. They release endorphins that lift our moods, but many of these act as natural painkillers too (1).
4.) Build Attraction – Smiling makes people more attractive. This seems to be especially true for women. Men are more likely to approach a woman who smiles than one who simply makes eye contact, while women aren’t necessarily drawn in by a smile alone (1).
5.) Look Younger – Smiles naturally lift the face and in studies have shown to make people look younger, around 3 years younger on average (1).
6.) Longevity – The effects of a good smile extend past just the exterior good looks. People who smile more often live longer too, around 7 years longer than most according to one study. It releases stress, helps the heart, and much more to keep you healthy longer (1).
7.) Boost Immune System – Smiles help the body relax and this lets the immune system react more quickly and effectively against invaders (1).
2.) Increase Productivity – Smiling has been shown to increase your productivity while preforming tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated and working harder after a few moments of smiling or laughter (1).
3.) Kill Pain – Smiling and laughter both have been shown to lessen pain. They release endorphins that lift our moods, but many of these act as natural painkillers too (1).
4.) Build Attraction – Smiling makes people more attractive. This seems to be especially true for women. Men are more likely to approach a woman who smiles than one who simply makes eye contact, while women aren’t necessarily drawn in by a smile alone (1).
5.) Look Younger – Smiles naturally lift the face and in studies have shown to make people look younger, around 3 years younger on average (1).
6.) Longevity – The effects of a good smile extend past just the exterior good looks. People who smile more often live longer too, around 7 years longer than most according to one study. It releases stress, helps the heart, and much more to keep you healthy longer (1).
7.) Boost Immune System – Smiles help the body relax and this lets the immune system react more quickly and effectively against invaders (1).
Footnotes:
1. "15 of the Best and Free Health Benefits of Smiling." Sunwarrior News RSS. 24 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/15-health-
benefits-of-smiling/>.
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