Why The Duchenne Smile Matters For Your Health And Happiness

Explore how Duchenne smiles trigger feel-good chemicals, improve health, and enhance social trust in this science-backed guide.

The Duchenne smile is a genuine expression of happiness characterised by the activation of specific facial muscles, including those around the eyes.

What is a Duchenne smile?

A Duchenne smile is the hallmark of true joy and emotional authenticity.

It is named after Guillaume Duchenne, a 19th-century neurologist who studied facial expressions.

Unlike a polite or social smile, which often involves only the mouth, a Duchenne smile engages the zygomatic major muscle (raising the corners of the mouth) and the orbicularis oculi muscle (causing crow’s feet around the eyes).

This combination creates a smile that is universally recognised as genuine and warm.

What makes the Duchenne smile so unique is its involuntary nature.

It is a reflection of true positive emotions, unlike forced or controlled smiles that may lack sincerity.

How to identify a Duchenne smile

Recognising a Duchenne smile involves observing specific facial features.

Look for crow’s feet or crinkling around the outer corners of the eyes.

Notice the raised cheeks that create the appearance of “happy eyes.”

Pay attention to the intensity of the smile, which should seem effortless and natural rather than forced.

In contrast, a non-Duchenne smile may only involve the lips and appear less engaging or warm.

The science behind Duchenne smiles

The Duchenne smile is more than just a facial expression; it is deeply rooted in neuroscience and psychology.

When you smile genuinely, the brain releases neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

These chemicals reduce stress, boost mood, and promote a sense of well-being.

This phenomenon supports the facial feedback hypothesis, which suggests that our facial expressions can influence our emotions.

Research has shown that even mimicking a Duchenne smile can trigger positive emotional responses.

Studies also indicate that people who smile genuinely during stressful situations experience lower heart rates and reduced anxiety.

This connection between physical expression and emotional state highlights the power of the Duchenne smile as a tool for self-regulation.

Benefits of a Duchenne smile

Personal well-being

A Duchenne smile is a simple yet powerful way to enhance your emotional health.

It reduces stress by lowering cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress.

Smiling genuinely can also improve overall mood and lead to long-term happiness.

Regularly engaging in Duchenne smiles may even contribute to better mental resilience over time.

Social advantages

The Duchenne smile has significant social benefits.

It creates an impression of trustworthiness and warmth, making others feel at ease.

When you smile authentically, people are more likely to perceive you as approachable and empathetic.

This can strengthen personal relationships and foster new connections.

Professional impact

In the workplace, a Duchenne smile can be a valuable asset.

It enhances your ability to build rapport with colleagues and clients, promoting collaboration and teamwork.

Leaders who smile genuinely are often seen as more charismatic and inspiring.

This can create a positive work environment and boost team morale.

The cultural and evolutionary significance of smiles

The Duchenne smile transcends cultural boundaries, serving as a universal signal of happiness.

While its expression is consistent across different societies, its interpretation can vary.

In some cultures, overt displays of emotion, including smiling, are seen as inappropriate, while in others, they are encouraged.

Evolutionary psychologists suggest that the Duchenne smile has deep roots in human communication.

It likely evolved as a way to signal safety, trust, and cooperation within social groups.

This universality underscores its importance in fostering human connection and empathy.

Myths and misconceptions about Duchenne smiles

Can they be faked?

A common myth is that Duchenne smiles can be easily faked.

While skilled actors or individuals can mimic the appearance of a Duchenne smile, research shows that such attempts often lack the spontaneity and authenticity of a genuine expression.

Observers may not consciously notice the difference, but subtle cues often reveal the truth.

Gender and smiling

Another misconception is that women naturally produce more Duchenne smiles than men.

While women may smile more frequently due to societal norms, the ability to produce Duchenne smiles is evenly distributed across genders.

The frequency and context of smiling are influenced more by cultural and situational factors than biological differences.

How to cultivate more Duchenne smiles

Practice mindfulness

Becoming aware of your emotions is the first step in cultivating genuine smiles.

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation or journaling, can help you connect with your feelings.

This emotional awareness makes it easier to express true happiness.

Find joy in everyday moments

Seek out activities that genuinely make you happy.

Spending time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies, or simply appreciating nature can evoke spontaneous Duchenne smiles.

Use laughter as a gateway

Laughter often leads to natural Duchenne smiles.

Watch comedies, spend time with funny friends, or join a laughter yoga class to boost your mood and encourage authentic smiling.

Conclusion

The Duchenne smile is more than just an expression; it is a gateway to improved well-being, stronger relationships, and deeper connections.

By understanding its science and significance, you can unlock its potential in your life.

So, the next time you smile, aim for authenticity and let your happiness shine through.

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These Positive Personality Traits Make People Happiest

Having any, some or all of these qualities is linked to living a happier life, study finds.

Having any, some or all of these qualities is linked to living a happier life, study finds.

Being enthusiastic and difficult to discourage are two of the personality traits linked to the highest well-being, research finds.

Enthusiastic people tend to have more fun in life and experience fewer negative emotions.

Being difficult to discourage is related to more positive growth, self-acceptance and greater achievement in life.

These were not the only personality factors linked to well-being.

People who are industrious, compassionate and intellectually curious are also happier, but in different ways.

Industrious people, for example, work harder towards long-term goals and are very achievement-oriented.

Compassionate people tend to feel more positive emotions and have better relationships with others.

The intellectually curious are open to new ideas and they enjoy thinking deeply and benefit from greater personal growth.

The conclusions come from a survey of 706 US adults, who were asked about their personality and different aspects of their well-being.

The study demonstrates that there are different paths to happiness.

Positive emotions are good, but so is feeling satisfied with your life, being independent, reaching life goals and experiencing personal growth.

Personality psychologists typically identify high extraverts who are low in neuroticism as the happiest people, as the study’s authors explain:

“The large literature describing the associations between personality traits and well-being suggests that extraversion (the tendency to be bold, talkative, enthusiastic, and sociable) and neuroticism (the tendency to be emotionally unstable and prone to negative emotions) are especially strong predictors of well-being.

But is wellbeing only accessible to the extraverted and non-neurotic?”

No, they argue, being a non-neurotic extravert is not the only way to be happy.

If you look more closely at personality, it turns out there are multiple paths to happiness.

The authors write:

“…the personality–well-being relation varies appreciably across personality aspects and distinct dimensions of well-being.

Not all aspects of extraversion and neuroticism are equally predictive, and aspects of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness/intellect also have idiosyncratic, meaningful associations with distinct forms of positive functioning.”

In other words, it’s possible to be a happy, neurotic, introvert.

It’s just a kind of happiness reached via a different route.

The study was published in the Journal of Personality (Sun et al., 2018).

Simple Daily Habits To Unlock Your Inner Playfulness & Happiness

Feel the power of playfulness with these proven techniques.

Feel the power of playfulness with these proven techniques.

Becoming more playful makes people happier, research finds.

Playfulness was stimulated in people through doing a series of simple exercises.

One involves writing down three playful moments experienced during the day just before bedtime.

Another simple exercise used was reflecting on playful behaviour people had seen in themselves during the day.

Those who did this for a week became more playful and felt happier.

Playful people can transform humdrum situations, like repetitive tasks, into games.

They may enjoy word games, mental games and have an insatiable curiosity.

Being playful has a number of advantages including being able to adopt new perspectives, having an eye for detail and creativity.

Playful people enjoy unusual things and are good at creating situations people can enjoy.

Indeed, playfulness is one of the most attractive personality traits.

Playful people, though, are easily bored, explained Professor René Proyer, the study’s first author:

“Particularly playful people have a hard time dealing with boredom.

They manage to turn almost any everyday situation into an entertaining or personally engaging experience.”

The study included 533 people, half of whom were given three activities designed to boost their playfulness:

  1. Write down three playful situations from the day.
  2. Be playful in an unfamiliar situation.
  3. Reflect on playful behaviour experienced during the day.

Dr Kay Brauer, study co-author, said:

“Our assumption was that the exercises would lead people to consciously focus their attention on playfulness and use it more often.

This could result in positive emotions, which in turn would affect the person’s well-being.

Our study is the first intervention study on adults to show that playfulness can be induced and that this has positive effects for them.”

The results showed that the exercises did lead to increased playfulness and a boost to happiness.

Professor Proyer said:

“I believe that we can use this knowledge in everyday life to improve various aspects.

This does not mean that every company needs table tennis tables or a playground slide.

However, one idea would be to allow employees to consciously integrate playfulness into their everyday work and, as a supervisor, to set an example for this kind of behaviour.”

The study was published in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being (Proyer et al., 2020).

The Emotion That Is An Unexpected Sign Of High IQ

This sign is not normally linked to being smart.

This sign is not normally linked to being smart.

Happiness is a sign of high intelligence, research finds.

People who are more satisfied with their life and their job score higher on tests of general mental ability.

Satisfaction with life is one of the two major aspects of happiness, along with the feeling of positive emotions in the moment.

The results come from 33 studies on almost 50,000 people.

Along with finding a link between happiness and higher IQ, the study also found that higher IQ was linked to greater job satisfaction.

More intelligent people tend to earn more and have more complex jobs.

Complexity is likely to be more rewarding.

Naturally, then, when highly intelligent people are not challenged in their job, they are not as happy.

The study’s authors conclude:

“…smarter people may be happier both at work and in their everyday lives as a function of their higher attained job complexity and income.

We also found that, when holding complexity and income constant, GMA [general mental ability, or IQ] has a negative relationship with job satisfaction, which may be due to feelings of boredom and frustration at work experienced by high GMA individuals at “average” levels of complexity and income.”

The study was published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior (Gonzalez-Mulé et al., 2017).

How To Feel Happier In Only Two Minutes A Day

Both happiness and general well-being were boosted in the study of 395 people.

Both happiness and general well-being were boosted in the study of 395 people.

Taking a few moments to stop and look at something in the natural environment is enough to make people happier, research finds.

Literally, ‘stopping and smelling the roses’, or in this case noticing anything in the natural world really does work.

Both happiness and well-being were boosted by noticing things like a bird, a house plant, a dandelion in the sidewalk, or just the sun shining through the window.

In the research, people took a photo of what they had noticed and quickly jotted down how they felt.

Ms Holli-Anne Passmore, the study’s first author, said:

“This wasn’t about spending hours outdoors or going for long walks in the wilderness.

This is about the tree at a bus stop in the middle of a city and the positive effect that one tree can have on people.”

The study split 395 people into three groups.

One group were told to noticed natural objects, while another were asked to observe man-made objects.

Both were also compared with a control group who did neither.

Together they submitted 2,500 photos, along with descriptions of their emotions at that moment.

The group who photographed and wrote a note about the natural environment had the highest well-being, the results showed.

Ms Passmore said:

“The difference in participants’ well-being — their happiness, sense of elevation, and their level of connectedness to other people, not just nature — was significantly higher than participants in the group noticing how human-built objects made them feel and the control group.”

People who noticed nature also felt more connected to it and to other people in general.

They also reported feeling more prosocial: in other words, they felt like helping other people out and placed a greater value on the community.

The study was published in The Journal of Positive Psychology (Passmore & Holder, 2016).

Happy Thoughts: 4 Steps To Thinking For Pleasure

We all carry around an instrument that can make us happy, if we practice.

We all carry around an instrument that can make us happy, if we practice.

Getting lost in positive thoughts about past, present and future helps us escape from ourselves and boosts our well-being, just like a good novel.

Unfortunately, most people find it hard to enjoy their own thoughts.

One infamous example of this is the study that found that most people choose electric shocks over sitting quietly for 15 minutes and thinking.

The reason is that most people are not that good at it, explains Dr Erin Westgate, first author of a new study exploring how we can all improve our daydreaming.

The first problem is that pleasant daydreams are difficult, she says:

“This is part of our cognitive toolkit that’s underdeveloped, and it’s kind of sad.

You have to be the actor, director, screenwriter and audience of a mental performance.

Even though it looks like you’re doing nothing, it’s cognitively taxing.”

The second barrier is that people intuitively go about day dreaming in the wrong way.

When instructed to think meaningful thoughts, people do not enjoy it, which stymied Dr Westgate until she looked at what people were thinking about:

“We’re fairly clueless.

We don’t seem to know what to think about to have a positive experience.

I was so confused.

Then she took a look at the topics the participants reported thinking about.

It was heavy stuff.

It didn’t seem to occur to them that they could use the time to enjoy their own thoughts.”

4 steps to positive daydreaming

Instead, in another part of the research, people were prompted with subjects to daydream about.

They were given these examples:

  • “A specific memory you would enjoy thinking about (e.g., your first kiss, a family event, an academic or athletic accomplishment).”
  • “Something in the future you are looking forward to (e.g., an upcoming social occasion, date, meeting with a friend, or vacation).”
  • “Imagining a future accomplishment (e.g., your graduation day, your wedding day, your first day at a great job).”

The key is to think thoughts that are both pleasant and meaningful.

The results showed that people enjoyed daydreaming 50 percent more when given specific subjects than when they thought about what they wanted.

So, the first key to positive daydreaming is to have topics ready, says Dr Westgate:

“This is something all of us can do once you have the concept.

We give 4- and 5-year-olds these instructions, and it makes sense to them.”

The second key is practice, she says:

“This is hard for everybody.

There’s no good evidence that some types of people are simply better thinkers.

I’m the world’s worst person at this: I would definitely rather have the electric shock.

But knowing why it can be hard and what makes it easier really makes a difference.

The encouraging part is we can all get better.”

The third is to avoid making plans while daydreaming, she says:

“People say they enjoy planning, but when we test it, they do not.”

The fourth is to choose the right time:

“The next time you’re walking, instead of pulling out your phone, try it.”

Thinking for pleasure is something that sets us apart, says Dr Westgate:

“It defines our humanity.

It allows us to imagine new realities.

But that kind of thinking requires practice.”

The study was published in the journal Emotion (Westgate et al., 2021).

Husband or Wife? The Partner Whose Happiness Matters More For The Marriage

Which spouse’s happiness is most important for marital satisfaction?

Which spouse’s happiness is most important for marital satisfaction?

When the wife is happy with a long-term partnership, the husband is happier, no matter how he feels about the marriage.

For marital quality, it seems the wife’s happiness matters more than the husband’s.

The conclusion comes from a study that looked at the marital satisfaction and happiness of older adults.

Professor Deborah Carr, the study’s first author said:

“I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied with the marriage she tends to do a lot more for her husband, which has a positive effect on his life.

Men tend to be less vocal about their relationships and their level of marital unhappiness might not be translated to their wives.”

Almost 400 couples took part in the research, which asked them how much they argue, get on each other’s nerves, whether they are appreciated by their spouses and how much they feel understood.

The couples also kept diaries detailing how happy they were while taking part in everyday activities like watching television and doing household chores.

Along with the importance of the wife’s happiness, the researchers also found that wives got less happy when their husbands were sick, but the husbands’ happiness did not drop in response to their wife’s sickness.

Professor Carr thinks this is to do with who takes over the care-giving:

“We know that when a partner is sick it is the wife that often does the caregiving, which can be a stressful experience.

But often when a woman gets sick it is not her husband she relies on but her daughter.”

Finally, the researchers looked at the overall quality of the marriages.

They found that most rated their life satisfaction as ‘high’: a five out of six points.

Overall, husbands were slightly happier with their marriages than wives.

Professor Carr continued:

“For both spouses being in a better-rated marriage was linked to greater life satisfaction and happiness.”

“The quality of a marriage is important because it provides a buffer against the health-depleting effects of later life stressors and helps couples manage difficult decisions regarding health and medical decision making.”

The study was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family (Carr et al., 2014).

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