Smiles are contagious, they say. And research backs this up. Smiling and thinking well of others affects us positively. Know it? You’re on a bus when someone smiles at you. It’s a small thing, but a smile can last for hours. Inversely, if someone snorted at one or made one uncomfortable, one may feel bad for a long time.

There’s a reason.

“Humans are social by nature. We need to feel like we belong. We smile at each other to wish each other well. A smile calms. It binds us as humans “, says Vibeke Koushede, a senior mental health researcher at the NIH.

Thank you for being more present.

We must not only smile but also think well of those we meet. Vibeke describes an experiment at Iowa State University in the US where subjects were asked to think about strangers in certain ways.

Those who thought positively about others became happier, more caring and empathetic, and had less anxiety than those who thought negatively about others.

“This means that while we benefit from good energy, we also benefit from being open and curious about others. We co-create our own happiness and mental health “”Koushede Vibeke

Finally, we can deceive ourselves into being happy by smiling. Vibeke tells of an experiment where some people were forced to smile while others made a sour pout by having a pencil in their mouth on the long joint.

Then a cartoon was read to them. The cartoon was far more enjoyable for the people forced to smile than the other group.

“A smile not only shows that we care about each other, but it also makes us feel good about ourselves,” she explains.

7 Reasons to Laugh

  1. People who smile and think well of others spread joy and happiness.
  2. Simultaneously, they become happier, develop empathy, and experience less anxiety.
  3. By forcing a smile, we fool the brain into thinking we’re happier than we really are. So one can actually improve one’s day.
  4. The brain also sends positive signals to the body, which relaxes. Body and soul are linked.
  5. Smiling and positive people are more approachable than others.
  6. A smile is so instinctive that even babies respond to it. Babies, on the other hand, are terrified by an angry face, even if they don’t understand it.
  7. Remember to smile internally, even if it’s just a smirk. Consider your everyday gratitude. It is possible to retrain the brain to think positively.

Try it out!

“What happens if you think positively of others all day? Do you feel better when you sleep? My assertion is that you have “Vibeke Koushede, NIH mental health senior researcher

Did you know?

Harvey Ball, an American advertising cartoonist, created the happy yellow smiley in 1963.

Smiles:

Smiling is the quickest way to meet people. V. Borge

“Smile every day… then it’s over.” WC:

Can pets smile?

When people smile, their teeth are often exposed. “We show teeth” as a friendly gesture. A dog, on the other hand, shows teeth when threatened.

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