Hi, lovely young people! 

How many of you go around with grumpy faces and creased foreheads? Well, I guess most of you. In today's fact-paced world where we have stiff competition in all fields, it is very difficult to be in a cheerful mood. We're tied down by deadlines, homework, test preparation, exams, etc. and we hardly find time to relax or have fun. So much so that we don't even have time to smile! But did you know that smiling can do wonders? And the best part is it costs nothing. 

Read on why you need to smile often. 

1. Scientifically, smiling helps

Research has shown that smiling can lift our mood, lower stress, boost our immune system and even increase longevity. A smile induces a chemical reaction in the brain, releasing certain "feel-good" hormones such as dopamine and serotonin. Researchers at the University of Kansas have found that smiling helps reduce the body’s response to stress and lower heart rate in tense situations, while yet another research suggests that smiling promotes longevity.

2. Even faking a smile works wonders! 

The most interesting part is that smiling even when you're not actually happy can trick your brain into believing that you’re happy, thereby inducing actual feelings of happiness. Just the physical act of smiling can help in building our immunity. Even forcing a fake smile can reduce stress and lower our heart rate. 

3. Real-life examples

Apart from research findings, many people around us are living examples of the fact that smiling helps them get through the day. If you notice people in the hospitality industry, you'll realise that they always have a smile on their face and just by looking at them, you also feel good. Think about the hotels you've stayed in with your parents while on vacation. I'm sure the staff was always smiling and ready to assist you and your family. Smiling really helps when one is working long hours or doing tedious work. It aids sales people to stay more energised and avoid burnout. It also shoos away boredom. 

4. Smiling is contagious! 

A smile is always easy to pass on. Smiling is contagious because we have mirror neurons in our brain which enable us to copy the behaviour we observe in others and these have been linked to the ability to have empathy. To put it simply, when we see a smile, we want to reciprocate because we feel endeared. When someone smiles at you, you feel the good vibes which make you want to pass a smile on to the next person you see, and so on. We should not take smiles for granted. Some doctors even recommend smiling at ourselves in the mirror as it not only triggers our mirror neurons, but can also help us calm down if we’re feeling low or stressed. 

5. A smile is the best answer! 

Sometimes we find ourselves trapped in unpleasant situations and the only way out of these is a smile. If someone is being rude to you, try passing a smile instead of being rude. You'll be surprised to see how it confuses the other person and he/she will automatically stop being rude to you. Try smiling at people who never smile at you. It'll not only make you happy but gladden their hearts too. 

Thus, since there's enough evidence to suggest that smiling can do us a lot of good, try smiling as often and as much as you can, maybe while caught in traffic, during rigorous physical activity like sports, or when you're feeling low. I'm sure you'll instantly be calmer, feel less tired and feel less upset.

So go ahead and give your best smile!