Nineteenth century novelist George Eliot once said, “Wear a
smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.”
Yet smiling is more than just a way to convince your mother
that you really did enjoy that meatloaf surprise. Even the smallest upward lip
curve—whether or not it’s sincerely delivered—has far-reaching emotional and
physical benefits.
Here are five advantages of turning that frown upside down:
1. Studies have shown that smiling lowers blood pressure. If
you need some instant Zen, then all you have to do is smile. Chanting is
optional (especially if you’re standing in line at the grocery store).
2. Smiling is almost a cure for the cold. Scientists have
figured out that smiling produces more antibodies and white blood cells, which
boosts your immune system. So take your vitamins and grin your way to wellness.
3. Analysis conducted at the University of Illinois
suggested that people who are happier (and therefore smile a lot more), add
almost a decade to their lifespan. That’s an extra ten years for not using your
frowny face!
4. Endorphins (feel-good hormones) and serotonin (natural stress-reducers)
are released when you smile. It’s the caffeine-free pick-me-up, and it works
without having to double your espresso!
5. At DePauw University in Indiana, researchers determined
that people who grin consistently have healthier marriages. It’s hard to fight
over who ate the last snickerdoodle when you’re grinning at each other, right?
Smiling costs nothing, requires no special equipment, and is
accessible twenty-four-seven. And no one minds if you do it in public. As Les
Giblin said, “If you’re not using your smile, you’re like a man with a million
dollars in the bank and no checkbook.”
