Have you ever felt down and forced yourself to smile, only to find your mood starts to lift? There may be some truth to the adage, “fake it ’til you make it” when it comes to happiness. A recent study from the University of South Australia found that the simple act of moving your facial muscles to form a smile can make you feel happier.
Facial muscles hold the key
This study, published in Experimental Psychology, focused on the effects of a “covert smile” on perceptions of happiness. Researchers didn’t explicitly ask participants to smile, but instead had them hold a pen between their teeth, causing their facial muscles to mimic a smile. This allowed the researchers to see the direct correlation between facial muscle movements and mood.
What they found was groundbreaking: moving your facial muscles to simulate a smile can indeed generate more positive emotions. When you force yourself to smile, it stimulates the amygdala, the emotional center of your brain, which releases neurotransmitters that promote an emotionally positive state.
As lead researcher Dr. Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos puts it, “When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.”
A well-timed study
Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a global increase in anxiety and depression. The discovery that a simple smile can elevate your mood and help combat these mental health issues is crucial during these trying times.
So what should you do if you don’t feel like smiling? The researchers suggest adopting the “fake it ’til you make it” mentality. Even if you don’t feel happy, find a mirror and give yourself a grin. And if you need a little assistance, try the pen-holding trick from the study to simulate a smile.
Before you know it, you may start smiling more often, and bring a little more positivity into the world.
The science of happiness
If you’re interested in learning more about the link between smiling and happiness, check out this article from Psychology Today. And for an additional mood-boosting technique, try this 10-minute daily exercise to start feeling happier.
In conclusion, there’s real science behind the power of a smile – it’s not just smoke and mirrors. Take a moment to give yourself a big grin today, and you might just find the world feels a little brighter.
