Fitness
The Tiny Habit That Can Make You Happier
And even a bit more optimistic.
Krittika Mittal
A few months ago, I noticed something unsettling while scrolling through old photos. In my memory, I was smiling. In the picture? Not so much.
There I was celebrating birthdays, exploring new cities, laughing with my family, standing beside friends I adore. I remember feeling genuinely happy in those moments. But my face often looked nothing more than mildly content, maybe. Certainly not as joyful as I remembered feeling.
Once I noticed it, I couldn’t unsee it. I started paying attention to my smile. Not just in photographs, but while I was talking to my husband, chatting with the cashier at the grocery store, ordering at a restaurant, or sitting at my computer answering emails. Somewhere along the way, I’d become a person who smiled less than I thought I did.
The science of smiling
That realization sent me down a rabbit hole about the science of smiling. Could something as simple as smiling more actually make us feel happier? Or was that just one of those feel-good myths that gets repeated because we want it to be true? As it turns out, the answer is surprisingly interesting.
For decades, psychologists have studied what’s known as the “facial feedback hypothesis” — the idea that our facial expressions don’t just reflect our emotions but can also influence them. In other words, smiling isn’t only something we do because we’re happy. Under the right circumstances, smiling may also nudge our mood in a more positive direction.
The research has had its share of twists and turns. Some early studies made bold claims, while later attempts to replicate those findings produced mixed results. But a large review of studies has found that intentionally forming facial expressions can have a small but measurable effect on our emotional experiences. Smiling, in particular, appears to make people feel at least a little happier on average.
Because everyone needs a Girlfriend™
Sign up to receive our free weekly newsletter every Thursday.
The important word there is little. Smiling won’t erase grief, cure depression, or instantly transform a terrible day into a wonderful one. Mental health is far more complicated than that, and no one should feel pressured to paste on a grin when they’re struggling. But if smiling can gently shift our emotional state — even by a few degrees — that’s worth paying attention to.
I’ve started treating smiling like a healthy habit. Just as sitting up straighter can make me feel more alert and brushing my teeth makes me less likely to snack between meals, relaxing my face into a genuine smile can soften the edges of a rough day and make me feel a little more optimistic.
Smiling is a good social habit
There’s another reason smiling matters, and it has nothing to do with what happens inside our own brains. Smiles are remarkably social. Researchers have found that facial expressions are contagious — in fact, the phenomena is known as “emotional contagion.” When someone smiles warmly at us, we’re more likely to smile back, often without realizing it. That tiny exchange can make conversations feel friendlier, reduce social tension, and help us connect with other people.
Many of us are navigating seasons of life that can feel surprisingly isolating. Our children may be growing up or moving away. We may be caring for aging parents. Retirement may be on the horizon — or still frustratingly far away. Friendships take more effort to maintain. We spend more time communicating through screens than across kitchen tables. In that context, smiling is a small social signal that says, “I’m here. I see you. It’s nice to share this moment.”
When I make a conscious effort to smile while walking through my neighborhood, more people smile back. Conversations with strangers seem to last a little longer. The barista seems happy to chat for a moment after taking my order. Even my kids will ask what’s got me in such a good mood. Ironically, sometimes nothing has — sometimes, the smile came first.
Smiling is good for us
There’s also evidence that smiling may influence our stress response. Some studies suggest that maintaining a smile during mildly stressful tasks can be associated with a faster recovery in heart rate afterward. Scientists are still working to understand exactly why, but it’s another reminder that our minds and bodies are constantly communicating with one another.
None of this means we should fake happiness or pretend everything is fine when it isn’t. In fact, psychologists often caution against what they call “toxic positivity” — the pressure to stay upbeat no matter what’s happening. Real life includes sadness, frustration, anger, and grief. Those emotions deserve space, too. But the goal isn’t to smile through our pain, it’s simply to recognize that our expressions and our emotions influence each other in subtle ways.
A smile won’t solve all my problems. It won’t make difficult conversations disappear or eliminate my anxiety about the future. I’m not suddenly the happiest person alive. My to-do list is still too long. The laundry still multiplies overnight. The news is still the news.
But when I look in the mirror — or at the latest photos on my phone — I recognize the person I remember being in those moments. And I was happy.
What do you think? Can smiling make us happier? Let us know in the comments below.
More From The Girlfriend
More for you, from AARP
We are a community from AARP. Discover more ways AARP can help you live well, navigate life, save money — and protect older Americans on issues that matter.