Smiling can make you feel happier even if you are faking it.

The Facial Feedback Hypothesis says that facial expressions help control how we feel. In 1988, researcher Fritz Strack tested this by having people hold a pen in their teeth. This forced their faces into a smile shape while they watched cartoons. The people with the pens found the cartoons funnier than those who did not smile.In 2019, researcher Nicholas Coles looked at 138 different studies. These studies included more than 11,000 people from all over the world. The data showed that smiling has a small but real effect on feelings. This proves that the physical act of smiling can change your emotions.When you use the muscles to smile, your brain releases endorphins. These are natural chemicals that make you feel good and reduce pain. At the same time, your body produces less cortisol. Cortisol is the main hormone that causes stress.A 2012 study at the University of Kansas tested people doing stressful tasks. Some people smiled while others kept their faces neutral. The people who smiled had lower heart rates during the tasks. This shows that smiling helps the body recover from stress faster.