Even as babies, we are born with the ability to smile, which is why it is the first expression we make. Smiling, one of the seven universal facial expressions that extends across cultures, symbolizes happiness, love, appreciation, kindness, and a lack of aggression. In addition to being beneficial for communication, smiling itself can actually induce a feeling of happiness. Another expression that is shared by all humans and can boost mood is laughter. Hugging is a third simple action that can improve mental health. These three easy activities do not require much effort, however, can have big impacts on the mind.
Turning up the corners of your mouth to form a smile takes about 43 muscles in the face and is controlled by cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve. This action causes the release of neuropeptide neurotransmitters in the brain called endorphins. These are chemicals that work similarly to opioids, causing the sensation of euphoria as well as reducing pain and stress. As intelligent as our brains are, which is most often the argument I make in these articles, they fail to take the time to distinguish between whether we are smiling out of genuine happiness or just pretending. This itself induces happiness by tricking your brain into believing it is feeling this emotion.
Like smiling, laughing also stimulates the release of one of the “happy hormones.” The endorphins have the same impact on the brain as they do when released from smiling—promoting a feeling of joy, decreasing stress, and acting as a natural pain killer. In addition, when we laugh, we are increasing our oxygen intake, stimulating circulation, and increasing heart rate. The body’s physiological response to these changes is to bring the body back to its normal level. This causes the body to feel relaxed, also decreasing stress. Additionally, the neuropeptides released during laughter can help in boosting your immune system, decreasing your chance of illness.
The comfort of a hug can also lead to the release of endorphins, supporting feelings of pleasure. Another happiness hormone, called oxytocin is also released during this action. Oxytocin is produced in the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland, helping to slow heart rate and decrease the feeling of stress and anxiety. This hormone also plays a large role in feelings of empathy, trust, positive memories, and overall positive mood. Physical touch during a hug, therefore, promotes a feeling of safety, comfort, and warmth.
Simple actions such as smiling, laughing, and hugging can be ways to practice self-care and improve mental health through the release of chemicals in the brain. So, smile even when you don’t feel like it, put on a funny movie, and show the people you love that you love them. After all, sometimes in life you just need a hug.