How To Live Longer

Everywhere we turn there seems to be advice about how to live longer.
We’re bombarded with information about the latest diets that promise to add years.  We have conflicting advice about how long to exercise for and in what way.   One week it’s slow and steady, then its H.I.T , thirty minutes per day or only ten minutes. Scientists also keep releasing the next big pill or powder that claims to slow the clock. All of it can feel complicated, expensive, and a little overwhelming.

But what if one of the most powerful life extenders is something you already have.
Something that is free, and you can do right now. What if it’s as simple as a smile.

Back in 2009, two researchers from Wayne State University, Ernest Abel and Michael Kruger, decided to look at the connection between smiling and lifespan. They examined all 230 professional baseball cards from 1952, and studied the faces. Each player’s photo was rated as no smile, partial smile, or full smile.  The researchers then checked how long each player lived.

The result was extraordinary. The players with full, genuine smiles lived an average of seven years longer than those who didn’t smile at all. It is thought this greater longevity may be due to attitude with a smile often reflecting optimism and strong social bonds, which are both known to protect health.

Science now also shows smiling itself changes the body. When you smile, your brain sends out a number of tiny chemical messengers that help fight stress. Your body releases dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin, which are the same feel good chemicals you get from exercise or a long hug.  This results in heart rate and blood pressure dropping. It has been discovered that even a fake smile can lower stress hormones and calm the nervous system.

The benefits don’t stop there. Smiling also boosts immunity, raises pain tolerance, and improves mood. People who smile are seen as more approachable and trustworthy, which naturally builds friendships and support networks, and those social connections are one of the strongest predictors of a long life.

So while we continue to read about superfoods and miracle supplements, maybe the simplest  strategy for longer life is literally one right under our noses.

So this week, when  you catch yourself frowning or carrying the weight of the day, try smiling. Smile, even if you fake it at first. Notice how your shoulders drop, how the people around you soften, and how you just feel better.

While the world is busy chasing the next big thing to prolong life, maybe we can save money and time by utilising the oldest strategy of them all, a simple, genuine smile.