Lisa Collier Cool an expert contributor for the “Day in Health” section @ Yahoo! Health provides a detailed account of the scientifically-proven health benefits associated with smiling.
She cites a British study conducted by computer giant, Hewlett Packard, which found that receiving a smile generates higher levels of stimulation to the brain and heart than being given money or smoking a cigarette. Using an electromagnetic brain scan machine and heart-rate monitor to measure “the mood-boosting value” of various stimuli, HP’s test delivered some surprising results. In a subsequent survey, 1,000 British adults ranked smiling as more likely to provide a short-term high than sex, chocolate,or shopping.
Cool also mentions research suggesting that the size of your smile may predict how successful you’ll be at love and work, how inspiring you’ll be to others, and even how long you’ll live. She interviewed Ron Gutman, author of Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act who compiled some extremely interesting research from around the world:
-
Babies are born smiling
3-Dimensional ultrasound images have captured clear pictures in which developing babies are smiling in the womb, according to Gutman, the CEO of Healthtap, a healthcare social networking company based in Palo Alto, CA. “Even before birth, babies seem to be practicing this uniquely human expression.” At birth, babies only smile in their sleep, but typically by three months of age they learn they can incite smiles from others through their own smiling. The American Academy of Pediatrics refers to the “smile exchange” as a milestone in infant development.
-
Smiles make us healthier
Among the vast collection of documented health benefits are reductions in stress hormones, such as cortisol and dopamine; a rise in “feel-good” brain chemicals such as “endorphins”; and lower blood pressure rates. Furthermore, smiling can generate an extra surge of energy during workouts.
-
The size of a smile predicts longevity
In 2010, Wayne State University published an interesting study, entitled “Smile Intensity in Photographs Predicts Longevity”, which analyzed baseball card photos of Major League players from 1952. Players who didn’t smile in their photos lived an average of approximately 73 years compared to a lifespan of nearly 80 years for players with wider, beaming grins.
-
We can see a smile from 300+ feet away
Gutman reports humans can detect smiles from more than twice the distance at which we distinguish other facial expressions. Some point to this ability having evolved so people could quickly tell friend from foe and react appropriately. He cites studies from both the Institute of Cognitive Science (France) and the University of Manchester (United Kingdom) which report that a smile sometimes makes us feel like a complete stranger looks familiar.
-
Like yawning, smiling is contagious
Swedish studies indicate that seeing joyful expressions on other people’s faces actually compel us to smile, whether we want to or not. The researchers, Ulf Dimberg and Sven Söderkvist, also found it’s difficult to scowl when watching someone else smile.
-
Fuller smiles are linked to better health and greater romantic success
Another study from the University of California, Berkeley, analyzed yearbook photos of female students at 21 years old, and then compared them to the women’s well-being and marital satisfaction three decades later. By reviewing photos and measuring the size of the smiles, the researchers were able to predict how happy and long-lasting the women’s marriages were likely to be as well as how we’ll they’d score score on standardized tests of physical and psychological well-being. Net-net, the women with the widest grins consistently ranked highest in all categories, according to Cool.
-
Children smile more than 400 times a day
Gutman reports that while boys and girls smile equally, as they get older, women smile more often than men. Overall, more than 30% of adults smile 20+ times per day and less than 14% of us smile fewer than 5 times a day. The disparity between men and women is likely attributed to cultural factors. A study of male West Point graduates found that smiling in photos was linked to individuals scoring lower achievement in the military — grinning soldiers were likely perceived as less dominant.
Read more @ Yahoo! Health.
Image courtesy of: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Be the first to comment