National Smile Day: A Smile Can Change Your and Others' Entire Day

Celebrate National Smile day on May 31st

The power of a healthy smile

You’ve probably heard that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. But, somehow, over the years, most people tend to forget this. Babies smile about 400 times a day, while the average adult only smiles 20 times. May 31st is a day to fix this and smile as much as possible. National Smile Day was created by Dr. Tim Stirneman and Jim Wojdyla of Compassionate Dental Care in Lake in the Hills, Illinois, to “share with the world what the power of a healthy smile can do.”

The simple act of smiling can use up to 53 muscles, while frowning takes only 11. But the good news is that all this upward facial exercise is great for your health. On National Smile Day celebrate the exercise that not only benefits you but also the world around you!

Psychologists say that a smile can instantly improve your mood, even if you must force it. And smiles relax our bodies too, which is good news for our immune systems. Not to mention the ripple effect this causes for those on the receiving side. You never know how a simple smile can change someone’s entire day.

According to zoologist Signe Preuschoft, the history of smiles can be traced back to monkeys and apes. These animals bare their teeth in a replica of a smile to show dominance or warn off predators. The theory is that humans have copied this behavior and that over time smiles evolved to show interest and amusement. Research shows that on the road to portraying happiness, smiling is one of the first ways to attract a mate.

If you’ve ever wondered why old portraits often show ugly people, it’s because people of that era suffered greatly from tooth decay due to sugar and poor diet. In addition, the more common aristocratic notion was that laughing and laughing was rude and showed a lack of self-control or good manners. One of the few exceptions is Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” although the portrait’s ambiguity is part of its popularity. As dentistry and authentic attitudes evolved, people started smiling even during portraiture, this time with their teeth on display.

National Smile Day (May 31) – Activities and How to Celebrate National Smile Day

Studies on yearbook photos over the years show that the width of smiles is increasing over the years. The study showed that because the participants had to hold the pose longer in the days prior to the photo shoot, their smiles gradually faded. The prevalence of smiles in the recent past is related to culture and tradition and varies from country to country. Some regions with high individualism and low population densities have higher rates of smiling people. However, one study found that the biggest reason people smile could be a country’s diverse immigration traditions over time. So, places like Brazil and the United States, where people don’t share customs or languages, have a higher percentage of smiles. Research says this is because smiles are part of a common language.

It is also another benefit of smiling. It can reduce our blood pressure, heart rate, pain, and stress. It can increase endurance, strengthen our immune system, and even help keep the cells in our body healthy. Smiling can boost our productivity and make us more creative, and make us seem more courteous, competent, likable, and trustworthy. There really is no downside to smiling—not in the way it looks, nor in the results it brings.

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