Many people today only smile when the photographer says “Say cheese!” or perhaps when they get a good number of “likes” on Facebook. Not all people know that smiling has many positive effects not only on a person’s emotional being, but also to their physical health. Here are some of physiological benefits associated with smiling more often.
Smiling is one good way to relax. When you’re in a relaxed state, your immune system functions better. As it reduces mental stress and muscle tension, you may keep your brain alert, as well.
If you notice, headache becomes worse whenever you frown. Smiling, on the other hand, brings some sort of relief. This is because smiling helps release endorphins, which are natural painkillers.
While there are fewer evidence on the physiological benefits of smiling, many experts claim that such simple gesture has positive effects on anxiety and depression. These two conditions have to do with imbalances in the body’s neurochemicals. It’s important to note that smiling is not a cure to this, but as studies suggest, it positively affects emotions. Smiling increases the production of serotonin, which creates positive effects on your mood. Anyone who feels stressed should smile more often to get rid of the depressing feeling.
Some studies also claim that intense smiling may also give a person longer life span. The study suggests that the Duchene smile, which uses both mouth and eye muscles, is significantly different from smiles that use only the mouth.
It’s sad to know that not everyone, especially the senior adults, smile often. One of the primary reasons behind this is the lack of good or perhaps missing teeth. Good thing there are new ways to replace missing teeth. Dental implants, for instance, provide tooth replacements that look and feel better.
If you find yourself hesitant to smile just because you have missing teeth, you should start thinking about getting implants.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation.