Smiling and Laughing Reduces Stress
Sometimes it's hard to cope with stress, but you just have to laugh and smile... a lot!
Smiling:
relaxes the muscles in the face and head.
calms that stressed out nervous system
sends more oxygen to the brain
triggers the release of endorphins (those happy brain chemicals)
Laughing can lower blood pressure, relieve stress, and boost mood!
Since mood and body language are linked, it makes sense that laughing on purpose also helps.
Here's a simple exercise from Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh to help you tap into the benefits of smiling:
As you breathe in, say to yourself: Breathing in, I calm body and mind.
Then, as you breathe out, think: Breathing out, I smile.
By repeating this simple breathing exercise several times, you're relaxing your nervous system and countering stress.
