Can a smile reduce stress?

Smile helps to reduce stress in the heart rate and thereby you become calmer. The reports of the professional association established by Cardiologists (BANK).

Those who experiences short-term stress, eg because he is stuck in traffic or in acute time pressure, can reduce their heart rate and thus relieve his heart by deliberately touches of smile. The results of a recent study: It was found that those subjects, who were smiling in a stressful situation, could effectively reduce their heart rate.

The study participants were different: tasks associated with stress were performed, either, persistently smiling, not smiling or forced smile mechanically. Then their heart rate was measured. The results: The smiling participants, compared to the control group with a neutral facial expression, reported about consistently lower heart rate, regardless of whether their smile was genuine, enforced artificially.

Smile decreases physical response to stress.

Apparently, sole muscle tension helps to lower the heart rate after stress more quickly. “The investigation of psychologists shows that we can influence on our natural physical response to stress”: said Dr. Norbert Smetak, National Chairman of the Federation of established Cardiologists (BANK) and a practicing cardiologist. „Therefore, those, who want to protect his heart, should try in stressful situations be smiling and thinking positively.This allows to reduce the intensity of the physical response to the stress.“

However, Smetak also emphasizes that the method has limits. „However, if the stress is increased, for example by added work time, money worries, relationship problems or unclear goals and excessive demands in the job, a simple smile is obviously insufficient “, explains the expert. “For frequently stressed and permanently stressed people, rather suitable measures of professional stress management which are available now.“ Through various methods, such as yoga, progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobson, autogenic training, meditation, sports or music can be learned to relieve stress and prevent new stress.