Did you know there are unexpected benefits of smiling?
At Cigno Family Dental, your smile is our business. And we take that business seriously, but with a smile as well. Let's discuss the benefits of smiling!
Some people rarely smile. It might be their personality – they just aren’t a “smiler”. Or maybe they’re too worried or stressed to smile much. After all, we never really know what is going on in someone else’s life—what they’re dealing with on a day to day basis. But for others, they might not smile much because they just don’t like the way their smile looks.
Yet, the benefits of smiling are real and smiling is very important in some pretty major ways.
Let’s talk about 4 benefits of smiling. These are good reasons to smile – or fix your smile – in case you don’t smile enough:
Smiling Establishes Rapport
People who smile simply look friendlier. Whether a smile is “real” or not, a person who is smiling just seems warmer and more open and approachable. All of this means that a smile – directed at another – helps to establish rapport nearly instantly with that person. This can be helpful in both personal and professional situations.
Smiling Releases Endorphins
Essentially, smiling “tricks” the mind and body into feeling good. When you smile, you trigger specific muscles in your face that have been scientifically found to trigger endorphin production. Endorphins are your ‘feel good” hormones. Surprisingly, it doesn’t even matter if you fake it. Simply “going through the motions” of smiling does the trick!
Endorphins Counteract Stress
Let’s face it… we are all somewhat stressed these days. That’s to be expected. And it’s not really the stress itself that is harmful, it’s how we handle it. Well, here’s some good news… the endorphins created when you smile (or fake smile) counteract the hormones created by stress. That may be one key reason why people who smile more appear less stressed… their smile may truly make them less stressed than someone who smiles less!
Smiling Makes Your More Creative and Productive
The happiness created when you smile also makes you more productive. This is one of the great benefits of smiling!
In 2010, a study done by a team of researchers showed that happy people are more productive at work. Likewise, a 2013 study showed that happiness is also linked to increased creativity. Therefore, the smile that makes you “happy” also makes you a better employee or business owner too!
Those are just 4 simple – but BIG – ways that smiling is good for you (and those around you!). These are very true and awesome benefits of smiling!
There are many, many, many more. So, help yourself and smile as often as you can—even if you have to fake it until you feel it! And if you don’t smile more because you don’t like your smile, be sure to reach out to us at Cigno Family Dental where we can help you have the perfect smile that makes you happy!