Get Smiling…

Try this the moment you open your eyes in the morning. Move the corners of your mouth into a beautiful smile. Smile on your way to the bathroom. Smile on your way to make that cup of tea to start the day. Smile at your partner. Smile at your children. Smile at your pet... you get the gist.

The benefits of smiling include:

• Stress relieving as it relaxes the muscles in the face and jaw

• Boosting your immune system - smiling relaxes us releasing more white blood cells

• Smiling can help with pain relief

• Laughing stimulates the facial muscles helping to strengthen them and improve circulation

• Releases those feel good endorphins

• Helps you live longer

• Happiness is created providing greater optimism and therefore there is more attraction socially

• According to research there are 15 different types of smiles that can convey how we feel - from anger, embarrassment, fear, anxiousness, happiness, sadness etc

• Smiling is a mood booster and I know it boosts my mood for sure

• It's contagious once you start…even laughing which starts with a smile - sets off a positive attitude and more people are drawn together easier

• There are 17 muscles involved in a smile - I don't want to get too technical but I do know that the zygomaticus major is the main muscle responsible for our smiles as it lifts the corners of our mouth

• There are 43 muscles involved in a frown

Some interesting facts for sure.

The more I read about smiling the more it makes me smile. I love to smile all the time anyway so I’m glad to find out about all the benefits that I’m getting. Laughing is another thing I love to do… a good belly laugh with family and friends sure leaves me feeling so refreshed and happy. When we laugh we take in longer and deeper breaths, a lot like our deep diaphragmatic breathing. Our ribs and bellies hurt the next day as we use all these muscles... a fab workout that leaves you feeling wonderful.

So let's get smiling more often than not. I'd love to hear how this makes you feel by adding this into your daily habits...

Sammi

xxx