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Smile Therapy

Feeling happy causes you to smile, but is the opposite also true? Apparently so. Smiling (even forced) can trick the brain into feeling happy! This is because a smile and the resulting contraction of the facial muscles have a neurobiological effect on the brain by triggering a chemical reaction that releases certain hormones like dopamine and serotonin, both of which are associated with mental health. A low level of either hormone can cause depression, and conversely releasing these hormones can reduce depression. Dopamine specifically increases the feeling of happiness, while serotonin reduces stress and anxiety.

While the effect of smiling on mental health is perhaps not that surprising, what is even more interesting is that a simple smile can also improve physical health in several ways: 
  1. Boosts the immune system
  2. Reduces blood pressure 
  3. Lowers heart rate
  4. Releases endorphins, which are natural pain relievers
And all this is simply from the physical act of smiling; the brain cannot distinguish between a real smile from happiness and a fake or forced smile! Another interesting tidbit I read was that botox actually helps with depression because it prevents the face from frowning! 😌

The power of smiling was known to ancient medical practitioners and spiritualists, especially the Taoists, who preached the practice of "inner smile." More recently, it was taught by the renowned Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who died recently in January 2022.

I also discovered there is a yoga called hasya yoga, which literally means "laughter yoga." It is an exercise in which you engage in voluntary prolonged laughter in a group setting. It is gaining popularity around the world with over 5000 laughter yoga centers globally.

Participants engaging in laughter therapy in India

So making a habit of smiling when you feel low (however forced it may feel) will perhaps make this quote (which I found during my search) come true:                                                         

"Life is like a mirror, smile at it and it smiles back at you." 😊


Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/smiling-can-trick-your-brain-happiness-boost-your-health-ncna822591
https://qz.com/824005/the-hard-science-that-backs-up-age-defying-laughter-yoga/

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