It’s obvious that a smile can change someone’s whole appearance or outlook on life. When people smile, they go from cold and unapproachable to lovely and warm. Grinning signifies happiness and contentedness, and makes us more attractive. Certain kinds of smiles can serve a purpose: they can earn trust, inspire service, hide hurt, and comfort others. A downturned gaze and blush accompanying a smile can signal embarrassment, while a smaller smile and a look through eyelashes can mean desire.

With all these uses and expressions, it isn’t hard to believe that smiling is actually healthy for you.

Smiling reduces stress. When we feel stressed, it clearly shows on our faces and in furrowed brows, frowns, and worried eyes. Taking a moment to smile instead of frown relieves the tension of the face and reduces the level of stress we feel. Your mouth has an amazing connection to your brain, and a smile sends a message to your cranium to release feel-good endorphins so you feel better almost immediately.

Boost your immune system by smiling. When you smile, your body relaxes naturally, inside and out. Your immune system improves because you relaxed, and this helps prevents colds and influenza. This means less sick days and more vacation days, which will only boost your mood more. Basically, it starts a never-ending cycle and health and happiness when you smile.

When you smile, you also lower you blood pressure. High blood pressure is a chronic problem affecting the nation today, but smiling has been proven to lower high blood pressure. This works the same way as reducing stress and boosting your immune system. When you get worried or stressed, like when you have a big exam or a project due at work, your blood pressure rises. Smiling can help.

To prove this, get a blood pressure monitor. Sit for a few minutes, take your reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading. Voila!  The results are as clear as night and day.

Smiling also helps you live longer. In addition to all the other benefits, your body gets stronger and healthier every time you smile. A study done in 1952 found that baseball players who smile lived a full 7 years longer than teammates who did not. Over a dozen studies prove that people who smile often are less likely to suffer from heart attacks strokes, and conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

Encourage yourself to smile more often by making regular visits to your dentist for cleanings. If you have insecurities regarding your smile, ask your dentist about cosmetic procedures to improve your teeth such as whitening. Your dentist will be able to provide you with key information to determine which procedures would be right for you.  

The benefits to smiling are obvious. Now it’s up to you to make the moves to improve your smile and show off those pearly whites. When you start flashing that great smile you can start reaping the benefits of better health and confidence!

Author Bio: Sara Stricker is part of a team of dedicated writers who contribute hundreds of quality articles to blogs and sites. Follow her @StrickerSara for more articles.