As the book’s message got out there, it was clear there was something even more powerful. Suicide categories for 10, 11 and 12 year olds?! Depression and anxiety on the rise for elementary kids? We can’t sit back and do nothing.
I started doing some research to see if there is real science behind the smile. I wrote the book connecting a smile to empower kids to be more confident. To be ready to use and help with self-confidence. Turns out, it wasn’t a hunch.
Dr. White Brown says, “It starts with the fact that when you smile, others are more likely to smile back at you. It makes you more approachable, more likely to engage with others…”
Behavioral psychologist Sarah Stevenson said smiling elevates your mood and creates a sense of well-being. “Each time you smile you throw a little feel-good party in your brain.” The notorious party animals dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin start whooping it up when you smile.
Ron Gutman, the author of Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act, “British researchers found that one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate.”
A Penn State University study found that people who smile more tend to be seen as more likable and more competent.
Research says when our brains feel happy, endorphins are produced and neuronal signals are transmitted to your facial muscles to trigger a smile. This is the start of the positive feedback loop of happiness. When our smiling muscles contract, they fire a signal back to the brain, stimulating our reward system, and further increasing our level of happy hormones, or endorphins. In short, when our brain feels happy, we smile; when we smile, our brain feels happier.
Plus, smiling also brings health benefits, like reducing anxiety, as well as lowering your blood pressure and heart rate.
