The Power Of A Smile
I smile and I feel good, I make others smile and I feel happy. When I smile, I may feel less stressed. I also feel that if I felt any pain shortly before, I am now coping with it much better. A smile makes me feel calm and happy.
So, then, is it true that a smile can extend lifespan? Yes, there is a part of the truth there… And you know why? Because if our brain laughs, it releases endorphins. The release of endorphins is present in all positive moods and it is one of the most important responsible for the feeling of pleasure; it also allows our brains to numb us more quickly when we are in pain somewhere.
Also, when we laugh, we reduce the release of the stress hormone cortisol ; to compensate for it, the brain releases dopamine, a substance associated with positive emotions. Through laughter, and this is Freud’s idea, we also succeed in releasing negative energy from the body.
I want to continue to convince you of this so that you do not lose your smile. So I’m going to go on to tell you that when you activate the facial muscles that are responsible for making you smile, your brain immediately starts releasing dopamine and endorphins, even if that smile is not spontaneous. This last precision is very important because it implies that we can change our state of mind by changing our gestures in a conscious way.
What will happen then if I am made to smile? Well, your brain will get oxygen and your limbic system will activate and facilitate memory retention functions. Therefore, don’t forget to make people laugh before telling them something that is worth sticking in their head. Their brains will be better prepared to code, retain and retrieve this information.
“A smile costs little but is worth a lot. Whoever gives it is happy and whoever receives it is grateful. It only lasts a moment, but sometimes its memory lasts forever. ”
-Mariano Aguirre-
The social effects of laughter
After seeing how our brains work when we laugh, let’s see what happens to other people when we give them a smile. What is certain is that a smile makes us much more attractive: someone who is smiling will encourage people to approach more than someone who does not smile or who frowns as soon as a other person takes a step forward.
Laughter projects an image of security and esteem, it generates more confidence and invites others to come closer to us. So when we smile, we feel more optimistic and we can show a better version of ourselves, a version that we will then pass on to the outside.
The smile has the power to generate smiles in others thanks to our “mirror neurons”. These neurons innately imitate what we see on the outside. This is why, sometimes, when we hear or see someone laughing, we start doing the same thing without knowing why; its positive energy is transmitted to us.
Humor and laughter can allow us to take a new perspective on the situations we live in because they activate our prefrontal cortex. This area is responsible for the most developed human functions such as creativity, perseverance, more flexible thinking and organization. This is what a 2010 study on laughter and the brain shows.
Surround yourself with people who make you laugh
Now that you know all the benefits of laughing, look for people who make you laugh, optimistic people who always put on a big smile. Surround yourself with people who convey energy and good humor. Look for people who can laugh at their problems, who always find a funny side in situations and who, above all, can laugh at themselves. Beings who offer smiles and who transmit them.
I too am committed to passing it all on, making people laugh, offering dopamine, lowering cortisol, increasing endorphins and activating your mirror neurons. I join because I want to see you laugh, because humor helps overcome difficulties and allows you to see a little more light at the end of every tunnel. I want it to be that way because when I have nothing else to offer, I will allow you to have a good laughing session… And if I can help you a little with that, be sure. that I will.
