There’s a simple technique that can help you succeed in life. Yep, the title gave it away: smiling.
A lot of research has looked into how the act of smiling can reduce stress and make you happier. Research has looked into how happiness affects productivity and creativity. Put these two bodies together and what do you get? This little fix:
Smile to make yourself happy - and be happy to be able to do more.
Smiling Makes You Happier
Researchers have discovered that smiling, positively affects our mood, even if our smile isn’t genuine, to begin with.
It is generally understood that smiling is only an indicator of our mood. That our internal emotions, which originate in the brain, causes our facial muscles to contract and expand, creating a smile. But it turns out that it can go the other way around. When we move our facial muscles to create a smile, this sends a message to the brain to release endorphins, the happy hormone.
So if you need a dose of endorphin, curl those lips and flash those teeth.
Being Happy Makes You More Productive
A Warwick Business School research has found that being happy affects productivity. Their study found that happier workers were 12% more productive while those who were ‘unhappier’ were 10% less productive. It is hard to ‘fake it until you make it’ but if it is going to help you get through that pile of work, why not? Fake a smile amidst work’s stress and you’ll find yourself boosting your productivity.
Being Happy Helps You Solve Problems
Dopamine is another chemical present in the brain when you are happy. Studies have linked the presence of dopamine in the brain to enhanced motivation, learning and better decision-making.
In a 2013 University of California study, men who were in a positive mood had a more creative approach to problems than those in a negative mood. The researchers linked the presence of dopamine in the happy men’s brain to why they came up with more innovative solutions.
Pretty amazing, right? By just putting a smile on your face you can make yourself happier and might give yourself a productivity or creativity boost.
As a network of dental practitioners, it is important to us that our patients are healthy and happy. All the members of our network are passionate about giving patients the smile they desire. Seeing before and after photos of patients who tried Invisalign braces always gives us a happy reminder of why we do what we do. The astounding number of our happy patients give us another reason to recommend Invisalign.
Getting Bigger and Happier Smiles with Invisalign
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that uses virtually invisible aligners to straighten teeth, making them ideal for adults. The aligners are comfortable and do not cut lips and gums, in the way traditional braces could sometimes do. Aside from being clear and comfortable, Invisalign’s aligners give the advantage of being removable. This allows patients to eat and brush their teeth without any discomfort or difficulties.
For more information on Invisalign, find your nearest MiSmile network practitioner and book your free consultation.
