美好心靈：保持微笑的五大好處

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." -- Thich Nhat Hahn

有時候你笑起來是因為你高興，有時候你笑著笑著就高興起來了。——一行禪師

We often tend to associate smiling as the result of a positive event or mood. But research demonstrates that the act of smiling, in and of itself, can be the catalyst for joy. Wonderful things, ranging from an improved mood to a better relationship, can be the result of the simple act of smiling. Even better, it is a tool that is free, easy and always available. So turn the corners of your mouth upwards and read on about five scientifically backed reasons why you should smile (a lot) more. Hopefully, by the time you're done you'll have learned something new and will be in a better mood!

我們通常認為微笑是喜事或喜悅的產物，可研究表明微笑本身也能夠催化喜悅的心情。從提升情緒到增進感情，只要微笑就可能發(fā)生一切美妙的事情。更棒的是，微笑不要錢也不用教，隨時隨地就可以笑。現(xiàn)在就揚起嘴角看看微笑的五大好處吧，這可都是有科學依據(jù)的，也許看完這篇文章你就會有新的領悟和更好的心情。

1) You'll Feel Better, Emotionally and Physically

1. 微笑對情緒和身體都有好處

Smiling, even when you aren't feeling happy, can help shift your mood. Darwin posited, back in 1872, that making changes in our facial expressions can shift our emotional experience, something he called facial feedback response theory. Psychological research has validated Darwin's assertion that expressions do not just result from moods, but actually influence them. Additionally, research by Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman at the University of Kansas demonstrated that smiling can alter our stress response by slowing down the heart rate and decreasing perceived levels of stress regardless of whether the person actually feels happy or not. So instead of waiting for something to happen around you to make you happy, take the power into your own hands and smile your way to a better mood.

哪怕在你并不開心的時候，微笑也有助于提升情緒。早在1872年，達爾文就提出面部反饋響應理論，假設面部表情的改變也會使情緒體驗發(fā)生轉變。心理學研究證實了達爾文的說法，表情不只是被心情決定，反過來也影響心情。另外，堪薩斯大學的克拉夫特和普萊斯曼研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，微笑可以減緩心跳速率，降低感壓程度，從而改變一個人的應激反應，這與這個人到底開不開心沒有什么關系。與其等著周圍發(fā)生點讓你開心的事情，不如靠你自己笑出好心情。

2) It May Help You Live Longer

2. 笑能延年益壽

Smiling more may actually extend your lifespan. Research out of Wayne State University which examined the smiles of baseball players in headshots from the 1952 season found that players with largest smiles lived an average of 79.9 years, two years longer than the average lifespan in the United States. The players who didn't smile at all in their photos lived an average of 72.9 years, seven years less than those with the biggest grins. Additionally, the research by Kraft and Pressman cited above, indicates that smiling may improve heart health by decreasing heart rate after stressful events. So, adding smiling to your health regime of eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising may just add a few years to your life.

微笑能延長你的壽命。韋恩州立大學的一項研究從1952年賽季開始測算棒球運動員頭部特寫中的笑容，發(fā)現(xiàn)笑得最燦爛的那些平均活到了79.9歲，比美國人的平均壽命長了2年。那些拍照時根本不笑的平均活了72.9歲，比笑容燦爛的那些少活了7年。另外，前文引用的克拉夫特和普萊斯曼的研究表明微笑能改善心臟的健康狀況，因為微笑能在重壓下減緩心率。在吃好睡好做運動的健康體制上再加上微笑，沒準還能多活好些年呢。

3) You Will Make Someone Else's Day

3. 能給別人一天好心情

When Mother Teresa said "Everytime you smile at someone, it is... a gift to that person, a beautiful thing" she was right. One study conducted by Hewlett Packard found that seeing another's smile stimulated the heart and brain more so than eating chocolate, having sex, or receiving money. This was particularly true when viewing the smile of a child. Additionally, research has demonstrated smiling may actually be contagious. Research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology examined mimicry, the tendency to mimic the emotional expressions of those around us, and found that it is actually hard to frown when someone else is smiling.

特蕾莎修女曾經說過：“你每次對別人笑都是禮物，是美好的東西。”她是對的?；萜展具M行了一項研究，發(fā)現(xiàn)看見別人的微笑對心臟和大腦的刺激勝過吃巧克力、做愛或是收到錢。看到小孩的笑容的時候尤其是這樣。另外，研究還發(fā)現(xiàn)微笑是會有傳染性的?！端箍暗募{維亞心理期刊》上發(fā)表了一項研究，檢測了人傾向于模仿周圍人情感表達的這一特性，發(fā)現(xiàn)別人在笑的時候是很難皺起眉頭的。

4) Your Relationships Will Be Stronger

4. 微笑能增進感情

People who smile more may have longer and more successful marriages. A 2001 study by Keltner and Harker evaluated women's smiles in yearbook photos and found that those who had more prominent smiles were more satisfied with their marriages at age 52. A similar study published in 2009 found a correlation between smiles in photographs and divorce rates. The larger the smile, the less likely divorce was later in life. Conversely, those with the smallest smiles or no smiles, were five times more likely to be divorced. So what does the smile have to do with marriage? People who smile more tend to be more optimistic, joyful and emotionally stable which lends itself to healthier relationships.

愛笑的人的婚姻通常更長久，更成功。2001年，凱爾特納和哈克在一項研究中評估了年鑒照片中女性的笑容，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)笑容比較燦爛的婦女在52歲時對婚姻更滿意。2009年有一項類似研究發(fā)現(xiàn)照片中的笑容和離婚率有相關性。笑得越是燦爛，日后離婚的可能性就越小，相反，那些笑意淺淡或是根本不笑的，離婚的可能性有五倍那么高。所以微笑和婚姻有什么關系呢?愛笑的人更樂觀，快樂，有著穩(wěn)定的有利于健康的積極情緒。

5) Give a Boost to How Others Perceive You

5. 讓別人對你印象更好

People who smile more are generally perceived to be more trustworthy, sincere, sociable and competent than their frowning peers. Additionally, a study by Orbit Complete found that 70 percent of people find women more attractive when they are smiling than when they are wearing makeup.

人們通常覺得愛笑的人比愛皺眉頭的同事更可靠，真誠，善交際且有競爭力。另外，“Orbit Complete”做過一項研究，發(fā)現(xiàn)70%的人覺得女性笑起來的時候比化了妝更有魅力。