In a study held by Psychological Scientists Tara Craft and Sarah Pressman of the University of Kansas, they found that smiling during stressful moments actually help reduce the intensity of the body’s stress response, whether or not the person actually feels happy.
Smiling releases tiny molecules in the brain called neuropeptides that help fight off stress. Then other neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and endorphins are then released. Who knew you had your very own built in stress reliever!
Check out these other benefits that come from smiling:
– Smiling relaxes the muscles which decreases your heart rate, which helps reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
– Smiling creates healthier and stronger social bonds. Have you ever noticed when someone smiles at you, you can’t help but smile back? Being on the receiving end of a smile releases those wonderful chemicals in your brain that make you feel good, which in turn makes you smile!
– Laughter causes your body to release its own natural painkillers.
– Positive emotions are associated to longer life spans.
– Boost in immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that wreak havoc on your body by bringing on more stress.
Sometimes when someone is embarrassed by their smile, they tend to smile less. Regardless of the current state of our social world, one day these masks will be removed and we will benefit from the smiles that we get to see and the ones that we get to give. Caring for your teeth is important when you want to smile more often. There are several things you can do to protect and/or improve your smile. The team at Quest Dental Dentists in Eugene is passionate about helping to improving your confidence in your smile.
Whether it is regular dental cleanings, replacement of missing teeth, whitening or just an aesthetic imperfection, we’ve got you covered!
When in doubt, smile.
Give us a call today so we can help keep your smile healthy and happy.
