3 Reasons You Should Smile Today

When life feels stressful or overwhelming, smiling can be one way to bring more peace to the chaos. We usually think of smiles as a reaction to feeling happy. But there are several reasons to make the effort to smile, even when you don’t feel like it. Psychology research in several areas has revealed that the act of smiling itself can have benefits.

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1. Smiling makes you happier. In a review of over 30 years of research and hundreds of participants, people who smiled subsequently reported they felt happier. This effect was small and variable but present. The key appeared to be activation of the muscles associated with smiling. Some of the smiles were posed intentionally, whereas others were created by having someone hold a pen in their teeth. Even when the person was not intentionally smiling, they felt happier after those muscles were activated. The underlying theory is that emotions are organized responses across systems, including facial expressions, and that changing one part of the process also changes other parts. So if your expression is happy, it creates similar changes in your feelings, thoughts, and physiology.
2. Others see smiles as engaging. Smiling sends a signal to other people that you are ready to engage with them. Starting as babies, people smile to engage with others and attract their attention. In her broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, Barbara Fredrickson argues that feelings like happiness lead people to build social resources through play and fun. Smiling can welcome that social engagement, and doing something fun with others is one of the best methods to reduce stress and increase happiness.

3. Smiling is contagious. Nonverbal cues, such as smiling, are a critical part of human communication. Studies have shown that when we see other people smiling, the muscles in our own faces that create smiles activate, often without awareness that we are mimicking their expression. This means that one person making the effort to smile can be contagious to those around them and potentially increase everyone’s happiness.

   Of course, smiling is not a cure-all for stress, and it will not magically fix challenging situations. It also will not alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, or more serious conditions that would benefit from treatment. But it is one small action you can easily take that can improve your day and the day of the people around you. In words attributed to Mother Teresa, “Peace begins with a smile.”