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As long ago as 1872, Darwin commented on animal facial expressions and noted that animals, like
people, smile when they are happy. (more…)
There is more than one kind of smile. There is the so-called the “Duchenne smile”, named after
the French physician, Guillaume Duchenne, who studied many things including facial
expressions. The Duchenne smile involves squeezing of the muscles around the corners of the
mouth, to pull the mouth upward, as well as squeezing the muscles around the eyes; it is a genuine,
sincere smile. This is contrasted with the so-called “Pan Am” smile, named after the former airline,
for the smile some flight attendants give passengers by pulling up the lips but not changing the
eyes; this is a phony smile. We react differently to these two different types of smiles; even brain
waves are different depending upon which of the two different types of smiles is viewed or is
expressed. The more genuine, Duchenne smile, where both mouth and eyes are moved, inspire
others to feel more kindness towards the person smiling. This genuine smile also makes the person
smiling happier, even if they are mimicking the smile (ie, squeeze their eyes while pulling up the
corners of the mouth). That is, just by moving our faces in a certain expression, we experience the
associated emotion. In other words, we don’t just smile BECAUSE we feel happy; we can feel happy
BECAUSE we smile! Moving the face into the full smile can generate feedback loops that stimulate
chemicals that tell the body and the brain that a certain emotion is being experienced, and can
generate the emotion subsequently. Smiling a full smile may impact more than our emotions; it may
influence our general health. For example, in men with heart disease, researchers found more
severe risk of heart problems in those men who had angry or hostile facial expressions, or “Pan
Am” smiles. Those with full smiles had less risk for potential damage to the heart muscle.
A friend of mine told me she was worried about smiling with her eyes because it might cause
wrinkles. Indeed, it might, but only the very nicest kind of wrinkles! So, even if you don’t feel
happy, or especially if you don’t, just Smile! Make sure you squeeze your eyes as well as draw up
the corners of your mouth. Sound silly? Even better! Do it right now, and go ahead and laugh!
As long ago as 1872, Darwin commented on animal facial expressions and noted that animals, like
people, smile when they are happy. (more…)
There is more than one kind of smile. There is the so-called the “Duchenne smile”, named after
the French physician, Guillaume Duchenne, who studied many things including facial
expressions. The Duchenne smile involves squeezing of the muscles around the corners of the
mouth, to pull the mouth upward, as well as squeezing the muscles around the eyes; it is a genuine,
sincere smile. This is contrasted with the so-called “Pan Am” smile, named after the former airline,
for the smile some flight attendants give passengers by pulling up the lips but not changing the
eyes; this is a phony smile. We react differently to these two different types of smiles; even brain
waves are different depending upon which of the two different types of smiles is viewed or is
expressed. The more genuine, Duchenne smile, where both mouth and eyes are moved, inspire
others to feel more kindness towards the person smiling. This genuine smile also makes the person
smiling happier, even if they are mimicking the smile (ie, squeeze their eyes while pulling up the
corners of the mouth). That is, just by moving our faces in a certain expression, we experience the
associated emotion. In other words, we don’t just smile BECAUSE we feel happy; we can feel happy
BECAUSE we smile! Moving the face into the full smile can generate feedback loops that stimulate
chemicals that tell the body and the brain that a certain emotion is being experienced, and can
generate the emotion subsequently. Smiling a full smile may impact more than our emotions; it may
influence our general health. For example, in men with heart disease, researchers found more
severe risk of heart problems in those men who had angry or hostile facial expressions, or “Pan
Am” smiles. Those with full smiles had less risk for potential damage to the heart muscle.
A friend of mine told me she was worried about smiling with her eyes because it might cause
wrinkles. Indeed, it might, but only the very nicest kind of wrinkles! So, even if you don’t feel
happy, or especially if you don’t, just Smile! Make sure you squeeze your eyes as well as draw up
the corners of your mouth. Sound silly? Even better! Do it right now, and go ahead and laugh!
Smile with your Eyes
from Living Older, Living Better! by Katrina Gwinn, MD
"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." Mark Twain
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