Feeling anxious? Try smile therapy!

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I have posted something on smile therapy before I think here.

I have actually done this on occasion. When you are driving to work is a good time to smile - for real or fake.


How Smiling Can Help Your Anxiety

This type of therapy does not involve complex actions or planning. All you have to do is smile. Some have called it "smile therapy" and I'll call it that too for the sake of simplicity. Whether you think of it as therapy or not is not really the point, the point is it can make you feel better despite your normal tendency to feel down when you're not feeling well.

According to researchers the reason why smiling can help create a positive mood is because when you smile your brain registers this as a sign/signal of happiness. As a result, even if you're feeling down in the dumps smiling really can lift your mood. One of the best times to start your smiling is in the morning. This is because as we all know the mornings can be tough and mornings also have a way of setting the tone for the rest of your day.

So upon waking smile for a little while. After lying for a few minutes after waking take a deep breath and smile big. Then relax all the muscles in your body – repeat. This may look goofy so if you sleep with a significant other you might want to tell them before you start doing this so they don't think that you're losing it.

So are you skeptical about this smiling therapy? Well according to Jane Plant, a chief scientific adviser to the British government, smiling is better than Prozac. Professor Plant exclaims that "smiling is a way of tricking your brain into thinking everything's OK, even if it's not." In an article for the British publication the Guardian, Plant and company encourage people with mood disorders, like anxiety and depression, to focus more on life style changes then simply popping "happy pills."
I also came across something psychologist call the facial feedback hypothesis. The hypothesis simply states that facial movements can have an effect on your emotional experience. So that even if your doing something you'd rather not being doing, you can still have an effect on how you feel about it based on the facial expressions you make during the not so fun activity.

So even though it may feel forced or even corny at first you should think about giving it a try. The important thing to remember is that when it comes to coping with an anxiety disorder you have to be not only persistent in your attempts to cope, but also creative. Don't be shy about trying new things that might help put a bounce back in your step. Having anxiety can make us all feel very gloomy, but you have more control over your mind than you give yourself credit for. So smile when alone, smile at strangers, smile when you're experiencing one of those hated anxiety symptoms and at any other time. You should never allow anxiety to rob you of this beautiful expression of happiness.

Read full article: http://www.anxietyguru.net/how-smiling-can-help-your-anxiety/

 

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1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive
We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away -- but a smile draws them in (avoid these smile aging habits to keep your smile looking great).

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood
Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious
When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress
Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System
Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure
When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin
Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger
The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day -- you'll look younger and feel better.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful
Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive
Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.