You might be asking yourself what benefits can a smile have? We shouldn’t underestimate the power of a smile, and the many benefits that come from smiling. Here are a few of them to keep in mind.

1. Lifts your mood: Smiling releases endorphins, and endorphins lift your mood. Even if it doesn’t feel real, just give it a try. You’ll see an improvement in your mood as the day progresses.
2. Lowers stress and anxiety: So many of us feel stress everyday. There are so many reasons and things that make us feel stress, and it’s nice to escape it when you can. For the same reason that smiling can lift your mood, smiling can help manage your stress. When we smile and release endorphins, our body feels more at ease. Try smiling a few times throughout the day and see what happens.
3. Stronger immune system: Since smiles help our bodies relax, it also helps our immune systems react with more efficiency.
4. Pain management: Smiling, like laughing, can help reduce pain because of the endorphins our bodies release. They can act as natural painkillers.

The power of a smile seems to be the endorphins are bodies release. I would like to stress that smiling isn’t a cure for mental illness. If you are concerned, we recommend you see a medical professional. If you would like to learn more about other benefits of smiling, click here. If you would like to read a previous post on mental health, click here.