Few people would argue that smiling is bad for you, but the latest research is showing just how many ways smiling is beneficial to your well-being. We know smiling can greatly improve your mood and reduce stress. Smiling doesn’t just benefit you on the inside. It also works to your advantage from the outside. One study found that people who smile appear to be more likeable, courteous and competent.

2. Smile Habit to Relieve Stress
Few people would argue that smiling is bad for you, but the latest research is showing
just how many ways smiling is beneficial to your well-being. We know smiling can greatly
improve your mood and reduce stress. Smiling doesn t just benefit you on the inside. It also
works to your advantage from the outside. One study found that people who smile appear to
be more likeable, courteous and competent. This is just enough to smile at every person you
potentially want to do business with. Lifting those facial muscles into a smile is also contagious;
if you smile and they smile, everyone in the room becomes a little happier. Researchers also
concluded that frowning when looking at someone smiling is possible, but would be very
difficult. Why is a smile so powerful? It all comes down to how smiling can change your brain
and thus relieve stress.
The Power of a Genuine Smile
The most interesting discovery is the indication that all smiles have a positive impact on stress
levels. According to psychologists and behavioral experts, human smiles can be divided into two
categories; standard smiles and Duchene smiles. The latter category describes the type of smile
which is spontaneous. It emerges as a response to something really enjoyable. It could be a
joke, a funny picture, the company of a close friend, or a good coffee.
A Duchene smile can be identified by the wrinkles that it creates around the mouth and eyes.
You might have heard it said before that only reliable people smile with the whole face and this
is true in some ways. The more genuine the smile, the more involvement from the eyes and
mouth. In the past, experts believed that only Duchene smiles had a notable impact on stress
relief.
However, a recent study asked two groups of students to smile in a certain way. The first group
held a Duchene smile and the second a standard smile. A third control group was asked to
maintain a neutral expression. The interesting part is that the three smiling groups did not smile
spontaneously. The researchers used chopsticks to engage the facial muscles usually involved in
each of these expressions. Here s what smiling does to our body.

3. Endorphins make us feel happier and less stressed
They also act as the body s natural pain killers. For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and
smiling can be effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an
elbow or fall over.
A good laugh can be a great way to release emotions
A good laugh can help you release emotions, especially those emotions that you might bottle
up inside. Everything looks that little bit better after a good laugh and life can be seen from a
more positive perspective.
A happy, positive expression will serve you well in life
This is particularly true for challenging situations such as job interviews. A smiling, relaxed
person indicates confidence and an ability to cope well in stressful situations. This will also be of
benefit in your career, building healthy relationships with colleagues and being seen in a
favorable light by your employers.
The next time you are having a tough day, feeling under the weather, or are just a bit
fed up with work, why not have a go and see if the experts are right? According to them, it
takes just one smile to bring stress levels down, lower the heart rate, and make a person feel a
lot better about themselves. It is time to make all of those trips to the dentist count and start
wearing your teeth with pride.