Put A Smile On!
The ‘Smiley Face’ is as classic and timeless as almost any image could be. From t-shirts, stickers, signs, to emojis and beyond, the use of that little yellow face is endless. It is so popular that there is even a day for it every year! Today is known as World Smile Day which began in 1999 by Harvey Ball, the artist that created the face in the first place. Ball declared the first Friday of October to be a day where, “we should devote one day each year to smile and [promote] kind acts throughout the world”.
Ball was on to something though, as just simply smiling can help you be a better you – both mentally and emotionally.
Here are 5 ways a simple smile can benefit your life:
A simple smile can improve your mood. Studies have shown that making yourself smile can help improve your mood and increase positive thoughts. So next time you’re feeling down, simply try giving a smile and see how much better you may feel!
Smiling can help with stress relief and it lowers blood pressure. The simple acts of smiling and laughing can help you not only relax, but to lower your blood pressure as well! Laughter and smiling causes your heart rate to increase, which is then followed by muscle relaxation which lowers the pressure. It has also been found that having a smile on during stressful tasks/situations can help lower your heart rate.
Smiling can boost your immune system. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing can boost your immune system! Laughter and positive thoughts help release molecules in in your brain that help fight stress and illness.
Smiling can be contagious. The part of your brain that is responsible for your facial expressions is located in the cingulate cortex. During a study, people were shown various pictures of people showing a range of emotion. When presented with the image of a smiling person, the people were told to frown. Instead, it was noted that participants would copy the facial expressions of the image. This meant that people had to consciously try not to smile when looking at someone smiling.
It can help make you (more) successful. Research has shown that people who smile more regularly in their lives are perceived as being more confident and are thus more likely to being promoted. So put that smile on and go get that raise!
Smiles are free and can clearly help improve your mental health so why not share them with others today? :)
