Skip to main content

A fake smile can help

A fake smile can help. In the 1930s, Budapest was considered one of the most depressed cities in the world and was even nicknamed the "suicide capital." Enter professor Jeno and hypnotist Binczo, who introduced the concept of a “Smile School.” They began teaching various smile styles, including the Roosevelt smile, the Mona Lisa smile, the Dick Powell smile, and the Loretta smile.

Remarkably, they charged up to $500 for a six-week course on mastering the Roosevelt smile. This might seem odd (see the photos), but the real question is: does a fake smile work?
 


 
Many people believe that forcing a smile is harmful. However, research shows that a fake smile can be effective—sometimes even more so than a small, genuine one. Artificial smiles have been shown to reduce pain, lower blood pressure, alleviate stress, and improve mood. For example, groups instructed to produce Duchenne smiles or grimaces reported about 40% less needle pain than neutral expression groups. 
 
Additionally, participants who were told to smile recovered from stressful tasks with lower heart rates than those maintaining neutral expressions, and those displaying Duchenne smiles were the most relaxed with the most positive emotional outcomes.
 
Do you know how this works? 
 
According to the facial feedback hypothesis, facial expressions reflect emotions and provide feedback to the brain, influencing how we feel. Essentially, sensorimotor feedback from facial muscles signals the brain, informing it of our emotional state. A smile sends a message to the brain that we’re feeling good, while a frown signals discomfort or negativity.
 

Here’s how you can apply this concept:
 
1. Pen-in-mouth technique: Participants held a pen between their teeth, simulating a smile. You can do this while working—simple and quick.
 
2. Facial mimicry: Researchers asked participants to mimic the facial expressions of actors displaying happiness. You could create a folder of photos with great smiles and flip through them to trigger an involuntary smile due to "emotional contagion." This is easy to do in Rewellme app.
 
3. Voluntary facial action: Deliberately move the corners of your lips toward your ears and elevate your cheeks using your facial muscles. Make the smile as exaggerated as possible.
 
 
Grin and bear it: the influence of manipulated facial expression on the stress response Psychol Sci 2012;23(11):1372-8. 
 
Smile (or grimace) through the pain? The effects of experimentally manipulated facial expressions on needle-injection responses Emotion 2021 Sep;21(6):1188-1203.
 
 
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Take a walk after each meal

  Shatapawali. Take a walk after each meal Doctors in various cultures have come to the same advice of walking after meals (although they explained it differently). In Ancient China, a proverb advised “Fan hou bai bu zou, huo dao jiu shi jiu, ” meaning take 100 steps after eating if you want to live until 99 years old. In India, there even existed a specific term — shatapawali (Shatapawali), which literally means “hundred steps” (after eating).  And Hippocrates wrote, “Walking after dinner dries the belly, reduces the accumulation of fat in the abdomen (visceral fat).” In Italy, this is called passeggiata — a leisurely walk for pleasure, often after a meal, especially dinner. Just a 10–15 minute walk after eating is enough to significantly reduce glucose spikes and lower risks. Our muscles act as a buffer that can absorb excess fats and glucose. The problem is that when we sit or lie down, our major muscles are not active.  Even moderate physical activity incre...
Read more

One mackerel in numbers

  The most common fish in our diet is mackerel (whole and deep frozen). The reasons for this are from the fact that it is a Norwegian wild-caught fish delivered in good condition to a relatively small number of bones (children eat it with them while herring, for comparison, has a lot of small bones).      Usually I eat a medium mackerel at a time (350 grams), this is equal to a portion of boiled mackerel of 250 grams. What does this mean in numbers? So, one mackerel is 550 kcal, of which there are 50 grams of high-quality protein, and 36 grams of excellent fat.    It is also 129 micrograms of selenium (more than 200% of the daily requirement), 135 micrograms of iodine (almost complete daily requirement). If to talk about omega-3 fatty acids, one fish contain 3.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. As you can see, there is no need to take additional supplements if even you consume only 2-3 portions of fish per week.   Fish protein is distinctly different from...
Read more