Smile! The Remarkable Personal Benefits of Smiling
by SixWise.com
There may be more to the song "Put on a Happy Face"
than just a catchy tune-putting on a happy face is actually
good for you, and those around you. Now there's a reason to
smile.
Smile Your Way to a Better Future
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Need a Quick Laugh?
 The
new employee stood before the paper shredder looking
confused.
"Need some help?" a secretary walking by
asked.
"Yes," he replied, "How does this thing
work?"
"Simple," she said, taking the fat report
from his hand and feeding it into the shredder.
"Thanks," he said, "but where do the
copies come out?"
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Researchers of a study led by Dr. Dacher Keltner of the University
of California were able to predict the future success (30
years down the road!) of 21-year-old women just by looking
at their photographs. The key appeared to be the intensity
of the women's smiles.
"Women who displayed more positive emotion were more
likely to be married by 27, less likely to have remained single
into middle adulthood and more likely to have satisfying marriages
30 years later. This means we can take photos at a wedding
and from them we may be able to tell how the marriage will
go," said Dr. Keltner.
How intense a woman smiled was related to personality tests
and psychologists ranked the women by how they expressed emotions
like joy and happiness. How did they know the smiles weren't
being faked? They used computer technology to measure 44 aspects
of facial activity. If a smile were not genuine, certain muscles
would not move (for instance, certain muscles around the eyes
that we don't consciously control move when we feel emotion).
Be Happy: Fight Illness Better
People who are optimistic (and these are the people who are
out there smiling!) have stronger immune systems and are actually
able to fight off illness better than pessimists.
"The research is very clear," says Christopher
Peterson, Ph.D, a University of Michigan professor who's been
studying optimism's link to health for over two decades, "This
is not some social science generalization. There
is a link between optimistic attitudes and good health. It
has been measured in a variety of ways. Overall, we
have found that optimistic people are healthier. Their biological
makeup is different. They have a more robust immune system."
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A Joke to Get You Smiling
Little Johnny's kindergarten class was on a field trip
to their local police station where they saw pictures,
tacked to a bulletin board, of the 10 most-wanted criminals.
One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked
if it really was the photo of a wanted person. "Yes,"
said the policeman. "The detectives want very badly
to capture him." Little Johnny asked, "Why
didn't you keep him when you took his picture?"
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It also appears that people who are optimistic are more likely
to take care of themselves, which may be another reason why
they tend to be healthier. Says Peterson, "Optimistic
people act differently ... [and] are more likely to do the
things that public health experts say are associated with
good health. Generally speaking, they eat sensibly, they don't
drink senselessly, they exercise and they get their sleep."
Smile: You'll Live Longer
According to a study published in the November 2004 issue
of the Archives of General Psychiatry, elderly optimistic
people, those who expected good things to happen (rather than
bad things), were less likely to die than pessimists.
In fact, among the 65- to 85-year-old study participants,
those who were most optimistic were 55 percent less likely
to die from all causes than the most pessimistic people. What's
more, after researchers adjusted the results for age, smoking
status, alcohol consumption, physical activity and other measures
of health, the optimists were 71 percent less likely to die
than the pessimists!
Smiling Feels Like Eating 2,000 Chocolate Bars
That's right-according to The British Dental Health Foundation,
a smile gives the same level of stimulation as eating 2,000
chocolate bars. The results were found after researchers measured
brain and heart activity in volunteers as they were shown
pictures of smiling people and given money and chocolate.
Dr. Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, pointed
out, "We have long been drawing attention to the fact
that smiling increases happiness both in yourself and those
around you, so it is good to receive the backing of this scientific
research ... A healthy smile can improve your confidence,
help you make friends and help you to succeed in your career
... "
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A Little More Smile Motivation ...
A driver tucked this note under the windshield wiper
of his automobile: "I've circled the block for
20 minutes. I'm late for an appointment, and if I don't
park here I'll lose my job. Forgive us our trespasses."
When he came back he found a parking ticket and this
note: "I've circled the block for 20 years, and
if I don't give you a ticket, I'll lose my job. Lead
us not into temptation."
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Smiling is Contagious
What's even better is that the more you smile, the more others
will too. Says psychologist Dr. David Lewis, "Seeing
a smile creates what is termed as a 'halo' effect, helping
us to remember other happy events more vividly, feel more
optimistic, more positive and more motivated."
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead ... Smile!
Recommended Reading
A
Brief & Colorful History of the Piggybank: How to Save
Money & Spread Good Luck!
The Top Seven
Scents That Can Enhance Your Love Life
Sources
British
Dental Health Foundation April 3, 2005
The
Detroit News March 16, 2005
UK
Net Guide
Swedish
Medical Center
Lots
of Jokes