8 unexpected reasons to smile as often as possible

1. The load on the cardiovascular system will decrease

The study shows that people who start smiling in stressful situations have a lower heart rate. And this leads to the restoration of calmness and self-confidence. In addition, stress with a smile puts less stress on the cardiovascular system, with almost no negative impact on its health.

For those who, in difficult situations, prefer to maintain a naturally panicky or neutral facial expression, the heart continues to pound, and it is more difficult for them to calm down. So next time, even if everything is bad, try to smile - it will feel a little better.

2. Reduce stress

Smiling and laughing significantly reduce the level of stress hormones: cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine. The more often you smile, the lower the risk of chronic stress, which modern scientists believe is responsible for almost all health problems - from being overweight to migraines, digestive problems and skin reactions.

3. There will be a feeling of happiness

If you smile, there will be a feeling of happiness

Even a strained social smile (when you wouldn't smile, yes you should!) Increases the production of endorphins - the hormone of happiness. And its level is directly related to mood. The higher it is, the brighter and more joyful life seems.

A fake smile raises endorphin levels in the same way as a real one: the brain, when giving the command to produce hormones, reacts to the behavior of the facial muscles, and not to emotions.

4. The pain will subside

For the same reasons as above: endorphins have a calming and analgesic effect comparable to that of opiates. And opiates, by the way, used to be used instead of anesthesia during operations.

5. Immunity will be strengthened

Smiling causes the body to produce more white blood cells, called leukocytes, faster. Leukocytes are one of the key soldiers of the immune system: they are responsible for protecting the body from viruses, bacteria and other infections. The faster the body is able to produce white blood cells in response to a threat, the higher the immunity. Research conducted with children in hospitals demonstrates that hospitalized toddlers who are visited by animators and clowns to make them smile have higher white blood cell counts than children who are not amused.

6. Insomnia will go away

Good news for those who like to watch comedy in the evenings or just spend time with family, friends and loved ones. The smiles that accompany such leisure activities significantly improve sleep, making it calmer and deeper, and facilitate the process of falling asleep.

7. Memory will improve

Researchers at Loma Linda University Medical Center (California, USA) conducted memory tests among people between the ages of 60 and 70. The elderly volunteers were asked to memorize the contents of several cards. Then the subjects were divided into two groups: the first was allowed to just relax, and the second was turned on funny videos.

After 20 minutes, the elderly were asked to recall the contents of the cards. It turned out that those who watched the videos and smiled recalled on average twice as much information as their resting colleagues. This suggests that smiles can improve at least short-term memory.

8. Life expectancy will increase

If you smile, your lifespan will increase

People who smile a lot have an average 70 percent chance of living to 80, while their less smiling buddies only have a 50 percent chance. These are the results of a study conducted by Ernst Abel and Michael Kruger from Wayne University (Michigan, USA).

Scientists came to this conclusion after analyzing old photographs: they highlighted smiling and frowning faces, and then traced the fate of the people depicted in the photographs through the archives. The link between smiling and longevity has been proven in most cases.

In general, smile more often, and your life will not only be long and healthy, but also extremely pleasant.