Smiling Makes You
Live Longer –
How Much Longer Do
Smilers Live?
Smiling Makes You Live Longer - How Much Longer Do Smilers Live?
I have done
extensive research on smiling as the National Spokesperson for the Natural
Dentist toothpaste and mouthwash.
Check out some of
my articles on Smiling below:
People who
frequently flash large smiles live an extra seven to ten years, on average,
according to Wayne State University research in the journal Psychological
Science. In the study they looked at 230 pictures of major league baseball
players from 1952. They found that the biggest grinners lived to an average of
79.9 years, while their straight-faced peers reached just 72.9 years on
average.
A study from London University College stated that happy,
cheerful people are 35% more likely to live longer. Smiling lowers the heart
rate and reduces blood pressure, while relaxing your body. Researchers
from Wayne State University, Michigan.
Boosts
the immune system - While smiling, your body relaxes and so your immune system
reacts more quickly and effectively against invaders. The Department of
Clinical Immunology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine found
that, when smiling, the serum cortisol levels (stress level) decrease and,
instead, the number of white blood cells and natural killer cells increases. So
if you want to fight off a nasty cold in the future, forget going to the
pharmacy. Just smile!
It’s a natural beauty enhancer
They say the best make-up a woman can wear is her smile. People
who smile seem more approachable and, thus, more charming to the opposite sex.
A study from 1985 examined how men approached women in bars: when a woman made
eye-contact she was 20% approachable, while adding a smile made her 60% more
accessible. It also makes you look an average of 3 years younger. The muscles
we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear youthful. No more
cosmetic surgeries for you.
It’s a natural pain killer
It has been proven that smiling is a natural drug. Researches
from Oxford University found that it can act as a pain reliever, as it releases
endorphins and serotonin. Also, chuckling helps increase pain threshold. You
can get high on a smile.
It relieves stress
Is there a deadline right around the corner or house work
catching up on you? Forget about it and smile. It’s the best way to reduce
stress caused by an upsetting situation. Even if you don’t feel like it,
forcing a smile is still enough to lift your mood. What happens is that it
sends signals to your brain and tricks it into thinking you’re actually feeling
good. Also, if you don’t smile you’ll feel bad afterwards. In one study people
were asked to remain stony-faced after hearing someone else’s good news. They
felt bad afterwards and thought the other person would think worse of them as a
result. Turn that frown upside down and brighten up your day!
It’s contagious
If you want to make someone feel better make them smile. Or
better yet, smile at them! Half of the people will send you one back. Researches
at Uppsala University conducted a study where they had volunteers look at
pictures of expressionless, happy or angry faces and in return adopt one of
those expressions. When they had to meet a smile with a frown or the other way
around they had trouble doing so. The twitching in their faces that was
measured with electronic equipment showed that they had no control over their
muscles. That’s why it’s hard to be sad when the people around you are laughing
or happy when everyone is depressed.
It’s the way to success
Smiling can help you make more money and move up career wise. It
makes you appear confident, professional and self-assured. Those who smile at
their colleagues and customers are more likely to get promoted, be approached
with business ideas or get a raise. Studies have shown that people who smile
seem more trustworthy, are rated higher in generosity and extraversion. Don’t
forget to take your smile with you everywhere you go!
Smile and the whole world will smile with you – now we really
understand what they meant by that. Keep your smile with you so you can live a
happy life.
So put on a happy face every chance
you get!
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.
