The smile is a powerful thing. It can make you feel happy, even when you’re not, helps you de-stress and makes you look more attractive too. This isn’t just hearsay either; research has proven that when we smile, our brain releases feel good hormones called endorphins, which help us feel better all over. Breathing and heart rate are slowed, eyes begin to twinkle, and we become more attractive to the opposite sex. 

Smiling is contagious too. Have you ever been with someone who’s just had something amazing happen to them? It’s almost impossible not to feel some shared euphoria too, thanks to the empathic part of our brain. When we see another person smiling, even if it’s a stranger in the street, our facial muscles activate to replicate the smile, without us even realising it. Whichever way you look at it, smiling is good for you and for those around you too. If you need some help on how to keep smiling all year round, here are some top tips from the smiliest people we know… 

One resident, Sheila, said: “I like sitting down exercise classes as I can wave my arms like everyone else. They always bring a smile to my face”.   

And Marion is always smiling when visiting our in-home cinema:   

“I love to go to the cinema. Never fails to make smile. It reminds me of when I used to go as a young girl and the lovely memories”   

So, there you have it. There really is no reason to feel down in the mouth, as this all-round mood booster is available for you use every day of the year, and at no cost to you. Take advantage of your own power to create happiness in yourself and others, and smile!