Let’s face it, we’ve all had that day. It started with a missed train that made you late to work, which led to a heated discussion about politics with your coworker, and finally ended with a burnt casserole dinner that seemed to be the grand finale of your perfectly rotten day—complete with blaring fire alarms to commemorate the moment.
On days like these, it can be hard to just grin and bear it. But experts say it’s worth the effort! Here are some of our favorite findings from experts in the fields of psychology, behavioral health, social science, and even economics who have found lifelong benefits in a simple smile.
1. Smiling Changes Our Brain
Psychologists say that the simple act of spreading a smile across your face sends different signals in your brain than when we’re frowny. When we smile, our brain sends off tiny molecules like dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin, which all work together to relax our body, lower our heart rate, increase our mood, and even serve as a prescription-free pain reliever.
2. Smiling Helps Us Make Friends
Even if we’re pulling a fake smile, behavioral scientists say they’re still contagious. Flashing someone your pearly whites sends them a positive signal that encourages them to return the signal, and smile back. This shared happiness helps us bond with others, and before we know it, that smile turns into a conversation, and that fake smile becomes genuine.
3. Smiling Makes Us Effective At Work
Positive feelings tend to motivate us to work harder and be more productive. A team of economists at Warwick Business School found that students that were shown a 10-minute comedy film before being asked to perform a task were 12 percent more productive than the control group, while the less happy, comedy-film-deprived students were 10 percent less productive. So, if you keep a smile on your face and channel positive thoughts, you can get that report put together for your boss faster than the guy in the next cubicle grumbling over his work.
4. Smiling Is Sexy
Social scientists from Switzerland studied just how facial expressions of emotion influence how people judge your attractiveness. The team used computer graphics to shift the emotions of faces shown to participants who were then asked to rate their attractive qualities. By and large, participants chose the smiling versions of the faces as possessing more attractive qualities. This applied to both men and women subjects and participants. On your next date, remember you’re never fully dressed without a smile.
5. Smiling Builds Trust
Researchers in evolutionary biology have found that a smile isn’t just an expression of happiness, but a fundamental social tool we use to communicate. The study found that smiling at others before a negotiation or business deal makes us naturally appear more trustworthy. On an unconscious level, people will become more cooperative with us. What’s more: smiling is one of the few gestures that means the same thing across the globe. So whether you’re in China, France, America, or Kenya, a smile is a smile, and it makes us appear more trusting.
So whether you’re trying to make a few new friends, attract your soul mate, or just make it through the day you miss the train, we’ve got just the thing: smile!
By: Gabrielle Smith