Did you know that there are 43 muscles in your face? We use them in different ways when smiling, frowning, crying, laughing and showing feelings of shock. Everyone knows what laugh lines are, but will smiling impact you more than just causing the formation of cute little wrinkles on your face over time? Having a brighter, whiter smile can actually alter the way we feel, improve the way we see ourselves, and even enhance the feelings others have towards us. It’s 2023, and if you want to leave a lasting good impression on anyone that sees your beautiful smile, you’re reading the right article! Let’s take a look at five psychological benefits of smiling below.
- Smiling improves your mood
When we are naturally happy or excited, we smile without even knowing it. But you don’t have to wait until you feel good to smile. In fact, studies have shown that smiling when your mood is low can actually trick your brain into thinking you are, in fact, happy. One study asked participants to either bite down on the length of a pencil or circle their lips around the tip of one. Those who bit down, opening their mouths in a smile-like manner, felt greater feelings of happiness compared to the second group who pursed their lips. - Smiling reduces stress
We’ve established that smiling can improve mood, but what about lowering your overall stress levels? You guessed it: smiling has the ability to reduce stress. When we smile, our bodies release chemicals called endorphins. As you might already know, endorphins are ‘happy’ chemicals which reduce stress and can even bring about a mild sense of euphoria. - Smiling helps with confidence
Everyone wants to feel confident, capable, and happy in their own skin – especially when attending job interviews. Unfortunately, we don’t all have that Beyonce-level confidence. Anyone hoping to boost their confidence naturally, without the use of botox or other body-altering substances, should simply try to smile more often. When we smile, we feel more comfortable, more confident, and happier. This also shows people around us that we are competent and relaxed. - Smiling makes you more attractive
Human beings are extremely perceptive creatures. In fact, we are constantly picking up and processing visual cues from the people around us. Smiles and laughs equal friendly; frowns and scowls equal upset or grumpy. When we smile, especially around people we find attractive, we are perceived to be more easygoing, personable and – wait for it – attractive! So, all you REALLY need to impress someone you’ve had your eye on is to smile at them. - Smiling can improve creativity
Indirectly, smiling can even have an impact on your creativity levels. When we are depressed or upset, we find it hard to sit down and create new, exciting things. All we want to do is wallow in our own unhappiness until someone delivers us a big chocolate cake. However, you don’t need to pack on the pounds just to feel creative again. As we’ve discovered, smiling can improve our mood and make us happier – even just a little. Happiness is associated with greater problem solving and even higher levels of creativity.
Achieve your 2023 goals with greater confidence!
The Smile Bar offers teeth whitening in Durban with four steps to a whiter, brighter smile and all of the benefits we’ve listed above! You can expect to have whiter teeth after your first visit, with our pain-free, effective teeth whitening system that was pioneered in Sweden. Feel free to book a teeth whitening appointment today, or browse our teeth whitening results to see what we can do for you. You can also explore our frequently asked questions or read our testimonials.
