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| Smiling Can Trick Your Mind Into Being More Positive? |
Remember to Smile!
There is a strong link between action and perception. When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.
Do You Know Smiling Can Trick Your Mind Into Being More Positive?
Groundbreaking research from the University of South Australia confirms that the act of smiling can trick your mind into being more positive, simply by moving your facial muscles.
The study, published in Experimental-psychology evaluated the impact of a covert smile on perception of face and body expressions. In both scenarios, a smile was induced by participants holding a pen between their teeth, forcing their facial muscles to replicate the movement of a smile.
The research found that facial muscular activity not only alters the recognition of facial expressions but also body expressions, with both generating more positive emotions.
Dr. Marmolejo-Ramos says. “There is a strong link between action and perception. When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.”
Research shows that children smile an average of 400 times per day, compared to the average happy adult who smiles 40-50 times per day and the typical adult who smiles only 20 times per day.
Smiling not only offers a mood boost but helps our bodies release cortisol and endorphins that provide numerous health benefits, including:
- Reduced blood pressure
- Increased endurance
- Reduced pain
- Reduced stress
- Strengthened immune system
Someone has aptly remarked,
"Use your smile to change the world but don’t let the world change your smile".
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