The Science of Smiling: Fascinating Facts And Statistics

How do you relate smiling and happiness? Why do we smile? Is it to express joy or is it the opposite? Does happiness come from smiling?

There are many theories on how smiling and happiness are related. There seems to be quite a bit of debate surrounding this topic. Some believe that smiling and happiness go hand in hand, while others think that just because someone smiles doesn’t mean they’re happy.

Let’s look at some of the statistics on smiling and happiness.

The Science of Smiling: What Happens to our Brain When We Smile?

According to research, smiling releases endorphins, which make us feel good. This means that neuronal signals travel from the cortex of your brain to the brainstem (the oldest part of our brains). From there, the cranial muscle carries the signal further towards the smiling muscles of your face. Once the smiling muscles of our face contract, there is a positive feedback loop that now goes back to the brain and reinforces our feeling of joy.

In a study done at the University of Cardiff in Wales, researchers found that people who smile are more comfortable than those who don’t. They asked participants to rate their happiness on a scale of 1-10 and found that the average happiness rating for those who smiled was 7.3, while the average happiness rating for those who didn’t smile was 6.3.

Another study, done by the University of Sussex in the UK, found that people who smile are also more attractive. In this study, participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of photographs of smiling people and those who weren’t. The results showed that the average rating for those smiling photos was higher than the rating for those who weren’t smiling.

Both the research studies have shown that smiling and happiness are related. Smiling makes you happier and you’re also more attractive when you smile. It’s a win-win situation!

So, the next time you’re feeling down, don’t forget to smile. It might just make you feel a bit better. And if you want to become more attractive, make sure to smile often.

You may well agree that clean, white and healthier teeth might lead you to smile more often. As a result, maintaining your dental health is critical to your happiness. Our experienced and gentle dentists at ‘Smile Delhi,’ are here to help you maintain your healthiest smile.

‘Smile Delhi – The Dental Clinic,’ is the best dental clinic in Delhi, that provides quality dental care for all age groups. We offer various dental services for adults and children, including general to advanced family dentistry. We provide personalised care with highest quality dentistry. In addition to our standard dental services, our signature treatment ‘Smile Makeovers’ with best quality porcelain veneers and emax crowns have given wonderful smiles to people across the globe. We give people a reason to smile that helps change their low esteem personalities into confident ones.

At ‘Smile Delhi,’ we believe that a healthy smile leads to a happy life. Since our patients find increased value in both their life and health, cosmetic dentistry in Delhi is gaining popularity. We love to help our patients maintain their healthiest smiles, thus we would like to share some statistics about smiling and happiness.

Facts and Statistics About Smiling

• A study by a UC-San Francisco (medical school) researcher found that there are 19 different types of smiles. These can be placed into two categories: polite social smiles and sincere felt smiles.
• Smiles can use anywhere from five to 53 muscles in your face.
• Smiling can actually boost your immune system and your physical health as well, allowing you to live up to seven years longer!
• Smiles can be contagious; people actually have trouble frowning when looking at others who are smiling and find themselves subconsciously beginning to smile as well.
• Typically, women smile more than men, although in work environments, they smile about the same amount.
• Babies are capable of smiling mere moments after they’re born.

Some Fun Facts About Smiling

Below are some interesting facts related to smiling:

1. It’s Your Ticket to Longevity

Studies have proven that smiling has a powerful impact on your health. It lowers your heart rate levels, improves your immune system, betters your endurance and reduces pain.

2. Smiling Tricks Your Brain into Being Happy

Studies say that smiling spurs a powerful chemical reaction in your brain. It makes your body release neuropeptides and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, endorphins and dopamine. They act as natural antidepressants and help you react better to triggers.

3. There Are 19 Types of Smiles

From enjoyable, genuine, happy to horrified, miserable and nervous smiling portrays a whole range of emotions. Scientists say that there are more than 19 types of smiles!

4. It Makes You Feel Like Winning the Lottery

As concluded that smiling is as stimulating as receiving up to crores in cash.

5. A Smile is Contagious

That’s not just a saying. Science backs it up. There is something known as sensorimotor simulation. It is a phenomenon that causes us to mimic expressions without realizing it.

6. Smiling Takes Less Effort

It takes only two muscle pairs or ten muscles in total to smile. To frown, you involve as many as 50 facial muscles. That means it’s easier to be cheerful than grumpy.

7. Smiling Increases Your Likelihood of Getting Hired

Smiling makes you appear warm and confident and also increases your chances of cracking that job interview. Studies say that a smiling profile picture on your LinkedIn increases your chances of being invited for a job interview.

8. How Much Does an Average Person Smile?

According to Forbes, an average happy adult smiles 40-50 times a day. A typical adult smiles only about 15-20 times a day. Children, on the other hand, have a whopping average of 400 smiles a day! A Yale study also showed that women smile more often than men.

We at ‘Smile Delhi,’ believe that maintaining your dental health is important because it can lead to a happier life. If you want to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to give us a call today!

To book an appointment with us in, ‘Smile Delhi – The Dental Clinic’– call us on +91-9811106871 or whatsapp Dr. Suprriya B Bhatia on +91-9811106377. You can also mail us on [email protected]

“We Care To Make You Smile”

Posted by: Dr Hema