Smiling, squinting and even looking cranky can all have an impact on your health
Smiling, squinting and even looking cranky can all have an impact on your health
Smiling through stress protects your heart
Faking a smile when the pressure is on actually reduces the normal increase in heart rate that occurs during a stressful situation, potentially reducing some of the negative effects, say US researchers.
Move your eyes if you want to remember something
Left the house and can’t remember if you locked the door? Then move your eyes left to right for 30 seconds. In UK trials, this simple eye movement increased recall by 10 per cent. It works because it helps the right and left parts of the brain work together more effectively, which stimulates recall.
Squinting lowers your mood
Squinting uses the same muscles as frowning, and according to Italian researchers, this actually triggers a knockon effect in your emotions that sparks an aggressive mood. It’s easy to fix though – a second group in the trial wore sunglasses and that stopped the reaction.
Looking cranky reduces anger’s harmful effects
Unexpressed anger has been linked to many health problems including increased risk of heart disease. But Australian researchers found that making an angry face when you’re annoyed can reduce anger’s emotional impact on the body, lowering levels of stress hormones.
