“Life is like a mirror, smile at it and it smiles back at you”
It is often said that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. This particular saying lacks enough evidence to support it. However, we are certain that smiling has some health benefits attached to it. Even when it can be a hard thing to do, especially when you are stressed after a long day, a little smile can actually make you feel better.
When someone smiles, their brain releases tiny molecules called neuropeptides whose main work is to fight off stress. There are other neurotransmitters that are released like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Endorphins act as mild pain relievers and serotonin works as an antidepressant. Most people do not know this, but smiling can help us recover faster from stress. It can also reduce our heart rate. Even a fake smile does wonders; it can boost your mood and happiness level.
A smile can be infectious, meaning that those around you can enjoy the benefits of smiling just by watching you smile. Already, our brains react positively when we smile but we can be rewarded when we see someone else smile too. It makes us feel a little better. Smiling can be an all-out infectious look of happiness.
In our workplaces, a shared smile can improve job performance. The feel-good benefits also abound in any work environment that has no room for toxicity. It had been proven that human happiness causes positive effects on productivity. Positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings, while negative emotions have the opposite effect. Researchers have also proven how the release of dopamine triggered by happiness can influence good decision-making in the workplace. Hence, smiling can also make you a more creative and efficient worker.
Register to attend the Connect Nigeria Business Mixer
So whenever you feel like the world is against you and everything seems gloomy, why not try a smile? It could give you the mood booster that you have been looking for. And if you are basking in good feelings and ecstasy, why not flash a smile at a stranger? It could be just what they need to feel good about themselves.