On Smiles #1
Are smiles connected to longevity?
Imagine a really energetic, toothy, infectious smile. These are called Duchenne smiles, which Wikipedia defines like this, “A Duchenne smile involves contraction of both the zygomatic major muscle (which raises the corners of the mouth) and the orbicularis oculi muscle (which raises the cheeks and forms crow’s feet around the eyes).”
A 2010 study by Abel and Kruger on smile intensity, studied photographs from Major League Baseball players from 1952. As of 2009 among the players who had passed on, they found that players who did not smile at all lived an average of 72 years, while those who smiled a little bit lived for an average of 75 years.
Here’s the kicker. Those players who had Duchenne smiles, those intense, infectious smiles, lived an average of 80 years!
So, you may have a top tooth, bottom tooth, or no toothed smile. You may smile a lot or not much at all. You may have days when your mouth hurts because you haven’t smiled that much in a long time. Perhaps you have a lot to smile about or not much at all.
But, may I encourage you to utilize your natural indicator of good will? It’s good and good for you. Smile!
Many more details are involved in this study, so you can read the article by clicking here if you’d like.
Worth Repeating
A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.
-William Ward
