12 benefits of smiling (psychological and social)

This facial expression helps us in different aspects of our life.

Dental clinic advertisements constantly remind us to have a beautiful smile.. But the benefits of smiling go far beyond the physical aspect.

While having a sense of humor helps us connect with others, have a greater connection with other individuals, cope with stress and even improves memory as we explained in our article "The 9 benefits of having a sense of humor", the smile, as a visible part of our face and at the same time pleasant, also brings a number of psychological, social and health benefits.

In this article we will delve into these benefits and delve into why we should smile whenever we can.

What are the benefits of smiling

Smiling may seem like an involuntary response to something that we find funny or makes us feel good; however, it is much more than that. We all smile several times a day, something that is closely related to happiness. You've probably noticed that when another person smiles, their expression is much more pleasant and inspires greater confidence.

You probably remember those people who always have a smile on their face, something that makes them look younger. But, have you ever thought about the benefits of smiling? In the following lines of this article you can find the answers to this question.

1. It is associated with charisma

The smile has a great power of attraction to the people around us. In fact, you will surely remember better those individuals who show a great smile, because you will perceive them as closer, more pleasant and this makes you trust them more. That is why people who tend to smile more often are often seen as more charismatic.

In addition, charismatic people present a number of traits and carry out characteristic habits.

• If you want to know more about this, you can read our article: "Charismatic personality: 14 traits and habits".

2. Inspires greater confidence

Scientific studies have proven that when the people we interact with smile genuinely, we trust them more. Trust is an important part of interpersonal relationships.Whether they are loved ones, simple acquaintances or people we meet for the first time. Smiling attracts our surroundings and allows us to create a closer connection with the other person.

3. Increases credibility

Smiling is also a useful communicative resource if we want to increase our image of credibility.However, when it doesn't fit the context, it can have the opposite effect. According to research from the University of Pittsburgh, people who smile more are not only more trustworthy, but also show a more credible image.

4. Makes you more approachable

Confidence makes us more approachable people, which improves our interpersonal relationships. According to scientific studies people are more willing to engage socially with others if they smile at them.n. A smile has a great power of attraction, and this facial expression makes other people feel at ease with us. It facilitates communication.

5. It is contagious

Scientific studies have found evidence that smiling is contagious, so it is necessary in relationships with others.It is necessary in relationships with others. This has to do with mirror neurons, which are key to learning, especially in the case of modeling. Smiling, therefore, can make other people smile, which makes them also benefit from the points made in this article.

6. It releases pleasure-related substances

Smiling seems to be important to activate some brain areas related to pleasurable behaviors, such as the ventral tegmental area. The ventral tegmental area has been key to the survival of the species, since it helps to repeat behaviors that we find pleasurable. This is mainly due to substances such as endorphins, which are natural analgesics.

7. Increases happiness

A much-discussed theory, which is known as the facial feedback hypothesis, claims that smiling is key to increasing happiness. This is because it stimulates the brain and also releases endorphins and facilitates the synthesis of other substances related to happiness such as serotonin.

8. Relaxes

According to the previous theory, the smile causes the body to feel calmer and more relaxed.. This helps to release tension in the body and also lowers Blood pressure. In this sense, some sources seem to conclude that people who smile more are less likely to suffer a heart attack or other cardiovascular problems.

9. Increases life expectancy

Scientific studies have also found a relationship between smiling and life expectancy. Research carried out by Wayne State University in Michigan (United States), in 2010, affirms that people who smile more live longer.. Other studies claim that smiling makes us look younger.

10. It makes you feel less stressed

Smiling could indirectly contribute to reducing stress levels.. As mentioned above, it could activate brain regions related to pleasure and also help to synthesize happiness chemicals. This can be a great resource in stressful situations.

11. It makes you more attractive

Undoubtedly, smiling makes us more attractive. If in one of the previous points we mentioned that smiling is a key feature of charismatic people, it also favors physical attractiveness.

12. It's free

In a world in which almost everything costs money, smiling is free.. So you can smile as much as you want and benefit from the above points without it costing you money. There is no excuse not to smile.