Do you smile every day? I do. My pets and my grandson always make me smile when they do silly things, and I'm grateful to have them in my life.

Today, I'd like to write about the benefits of smiling. In Japan, there is an old saying "笑う門には福来たる(warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru)", which can be translated as "Good fortune comes to those who smile" or "Laughter is the key to happiness". Do you agree? Studies suggest that laughing increases the activity of natural killer cells, which are an important part of our immune system. This many help our bodies fight against diseases such as cancer. Laughing loud out also helps us exhale more carbon dioxide and encourages diaphragmatic breathing. When we're stressed out, hormones such as glucagon and adrenaline increase, which can raise our blood pleasure. On the other hand, when we smile, our stress decrease, which can help keeping our blood pleasure at a healthier level. Smiling also releases endorphin which is similar as morphine is secreted in your brain, which can help ease the pain. Some studies even suggest that maintaining a positive attitude and laughing regularly may help reduce the risk of dementia

Smiling also works to our mental, such as releasing stress, relaxing effect, and social relationship. Haven't you ever experienced that when you see someone smiling, you also can't help smiling? This relates to the mirror neuron in the frontal lobe. Happy atmospheres pass to others, which make others feel happy as well.

So, when was the last time you smiled?

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