We all know that a friendly smile can go a long way and help brighten the days of others. But did you know that it can actually improve your own health too? In today’s blog post, we want to discuss six health benefits of smiling every day. It’s time to learn how you can change your life with a simple smile!
A Few Reasons to Smile More
1. It helps you live longer: Smiling more often might just be the key to a long, happy life. A study found that genuine smiling actually plays a role in longevity. We also know that happier people tend to outlive those who are not happy by many years. In other words, maintaining a happy mood is a great way to help you live a long and full life.
2. Smiling relieves stress: As you may know, stress has a huge impact on both your mental health and your physical health. It comes with a plethora of symptoms like headaches, high blood pressure, chest pain, and more. In fact, chronic stress is a major contributor in six different leading causes of death. Fear not, your beautiful smile can help! Smiling more actually triggers neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which elevate your mood. Fun fact: Even if you are not truly happy, a smile can “trick” your brain into thinking you are, which still gives you all of the great benefits!
3. It boosts the immune system: Another bonus of smiling is that it helps your immune system each time you flash your pearly whites. When you’re stressed out, your immune system becomes compromised, making it much easier for you to get sick. Fortunately, smiling helps your body calm down, producing neurotransmitters that allow your immune system to function properly.
Another Way that Smiling Improves Your Health
4. It lowers blood pressure: While smiling has been linked to lowering your heart rate, laughter has been shown to lower your blood pressure. Luckily, the two often go hand-in-hand. If you’re battling high blood pressure, try to smile and laugh more. It’s free, simple, and worth a shot!
5. Smiling reduces pain: If you have suffered a recent injury or have chronic aches, smiling might help alleviate some of that pain. Our body has certain neurotransmitters that act as natural pain relievers. When we relax and smile, we are reducing inflammation, which may reduce pain. Think of smiling like a dose of ibuprofen that you can access at any time.
6. It boosts your mental health: This one may seem obvious. Smiling makes people happy and helps combat mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Studies have also found that those who smile more are generally more self-assured. So get out there and start smiling!
If you’re not happy with the smile you’ve got, we can help. Our goal is to make our patients feel as confident and comfortable as possible.
Call us at 407.834.0330 to schedule an appointment!
Check out our Dental Blog to learn more about topics like restorative dentistry, wisdom teeth, and teeth whitening.