The history of the smile can be traced back to monkeys and apes, according to primatologist Signe Preuschoft. These animals bare their teeth in a facsimile of a smile to show dominance or warn off predators. The theory is that humans copied this behavior and, over time, the smile evolved to show amusement and enjoyment. Research indicates that on the way to portraying happiness, and smiles was a way of attracting mates among early humans. --National Today
Take a look at some library materials; they are sure to make you smile!
Here are some fun facts to get you smiling authentically- from Psychology Today:
- Smiling can make you look younger
- UMKC researchers tested the popular theory, and sure enough, in a small study, college students perceived older people who had happy smiles on their faces as looking younger than their age.
- The people with frowns on their faces were categorized as looking older.
- Smiling can also make you look thinner
- I can only speculate that a mouth turned down in a frown might give the impression that a person is weighed down by unhappiness.
- Smiling can actually elevate your mood and create a sense of well-being
- The notorious party animals dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin start whooping it up when you smile. And a bonus: those endorphins serve as natural pain relievers and act as the body's own opiates.
- Smiling gives you more pleasure than chocolate
- British researchers found that one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate.
- Even a forced smile can lead to a mood boost
- As Buddhist author Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."
- Smiling can make you seem courteous, likeable, and competent
- Speculation: If you look sad or anxious, perhaps others wonder if you know what you are doing.
- A smile can predict your lifespan!?
- A 2010 Wayne State University research project studied pre-1950s major league player baseball cards.
- According to Gutman, “The researchers found that the span of a player's smile could actually predict the span of his life. Players who didn't smile in their pictures lived an average of only 72.9 years, whereas players with beaming smiles lived an average of almost 80 years.”
- Smiling can be contagious
- Ever hear about a person "lighting up a room"? -They were probably always smiling, too.
Did you know, scientifically, women smile more?
- Brodmann’s Area 44 (or BA44) is responsible for controlling facial movements, including those that produce smiles and laughter.
- This part of the brain is larger in women than in men, which may explain why they smile more often than their male counterparts.
- This means that they can smile more easily and hold it for longer periods without feeling fatigued like men do after a few minutes of smiling!
- Stress hormones like cortisol can make people feel anxious or depressed, making it harder to smile.
- However, women generally don’t produce as much of these chemicals, so they’re able to keep smiling even when things get tough!
- Women will often smile back at those smiling because they want to make the person feel better, but if it doesn’t work, their sadness might worsen too.
- Women also smile because it’s part of how they show affection towards others in social situations where there isn’t much physical contact, like hugging.
- Even if you believe you have good intentions, please don't tell women to smile. They smile when they want to and probably more than you think!
Info from Life Dental Group.
