The sad thing about smiling is that while it is so good for us, many people do not do it as much as they should. Of course, there are multiple reasons for this that span across the realms of fitness, well being, beauty, and psychology. That is why there is no one size fits all solution to increase smiling. Instead, by working on a combination of issues, the most common of which you can discover below, you can reclaim your smile!
Increase endorphins
First of all, it pays to know that smiling is usually an expression of being happy. What that means is if we don’t feel as happy as we could, it’s improbable that we smile much. The good news is that there are plenty of actions we can take to increase our happiness and wellbeing.
In fact, the first one of these is to work some regular exercise into our days. This is because by exercising, the body can receive a range of benefits, all of which can help us feel a lot happier and so make us more likely to smile. The first of these is that by increasing our exertion, the body takes in more clean air, something that helps to circle lots of oxygen around the body and can make us feel great.
Secondly, when it comes to exercise, it causes a reaction in the body that releases endorphins. These are one of the hormones that are responsible for a positive mood. Therefore it makes sense that if we have more of these, we will be happier and more likely to smile.
Finally, the long term benefits of exercise include a reduction in stress and better health through our lives. Something that will give anyone working out regularly a lot to smile about.
Get some help for mental health issues
Of course, while exercising more can help boost mood, some people have problems that run a little deeper. That is to say, many of us suffer from chronic mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. Many of which can have a significant impact on our quality of life and level of happiness.
With that in mind, if the lack of happiness that is responsible for you smiling less is caused by a mental health issue, the most important thing you can do is reach out for help. In fact, asking for help can make all the difference here because while many issues are not curable, they can be managed. That is, they can be controlled to the point where they do not negatively impact your life so much.
Yes, it can be scary and challenging to reach out for help when you are struggling with mental illness. However, do remember that more and more people are talking about and being open on this subject. Also, many dedicated charities and organizations can offer you confidential help and support too.
Plan in some fun
Of course, at the other end of the spectrum, some folks aren’t clinically depressed or anxious but feel as if there is enough joy in their lives. Something that may be expressed in a lack of smiling.
The good news is that there are some small changes you can make here that can have a huge impact! In fact, instead of trying to change up your entire life, making a commitment to fitting in just a little more fun into every day can work wonders.
With that in mind, pick an activity that you know you enjoy, such as reading, gaming, or drawing and try and fit in at least two 10 minutes sessions into every day. It could be on your lunch break before you go to work or school, or even in the evening.
You are then free to increase the amount of time doing these joyful activities as you wish. Something that should be a lot easier once you rediscover how enjoyable they are, and should have that smile back on your face in no time.
Perfect your teeth
Sometimes it’s not our mood that is stopping us from smiling but an issue with our teeth or mouth instead. In fact, one of the most common problems that people suffer from here is that they are embarrassed by their teeth, and so would rather not smile, even if they feel good.
Of course, this can have an effect over the long term because research has shown that smiling releases happy chemicals into our systems. Additionally, smiley people tend to be able to interact and form relationships with others.
That’s why if you have an issue such as a missing tooth, it’s crucial to get it sorted as soon as possible. Sadly, many people put such treatment off, primarily due to the often massive cost of getting dentures to replace missing teeth. The good news is that if you are looking for affordable dentures, there is another option you can try. Its clip-on veneers which cost a fraction of the price and do not require any of the painful work that most dentistry involves. Now if that doesn’t get you smiling, i don’t know what will!
Banish bad breath!
Finally, there are people whose teeth are in excellent condition, and that feel happy, but still don’t feel comfortable smiling. In fact, this is often due to an issue with bad breath. Something that they are embarrassed that others will pick up on if they smile.
Happily, there are plenty of treatments you can try for bad breath. These include chewing xylitol gum between meals and using specialist mouthwash. Although, you may wish to visit your dentist or doctors as sometimes it can be a symptom of an underlying health issue.
Alternatively, it may be that the food you are consuming is responsible for your less-than-pleasant breath. The great news here is that by altering your diet and cutting out things like sugar, coffee, and red wine, you may be able to rid yourself of the problem entirely. In fact, minimizing these things can also be great for your general health as well, giving you something else you can really smile about!
