Be Happy, Be Healthy

How does smiling affect a person’s health? – This is the question we will seek to answer this class.

At the beginning of the lesson, you will have the task of taking your pulse 3 times consecutively at 30-second intervals and recording it on Worksheet 1. Heart Rate. Thus you will take this measurement a total of 5 times during the lesson – at the beginning of the lesson, after watching a funny video, after the presentation of the theoretical part, after completing Activity 1. and at the end of the lesson.

To download: Worksheet 1. Heart Rate

Fig. 3. Pulse measurement with pulse oximeter. Source: https://depositphotos.com/photo/close-up-of-girl-using-heart-rate-monitor-for-workout-in-the-forest-or-tracking-368015106.html

Now let’s smile. Watch this short video. After watching it, you’ll take your pulse again – you already know how. You will write the results again on Worksheet 1. Heart Rate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIUdYTEZNps&ab_channel=Utsavshah
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bd6w0gj0Sc&ab_channel=OneMinuteofYou

• How do you feel when someone smiles at you?
• In your opinion, is there a benefit of smiling for us humans?

Again, you can record the answers to these questions on Worksheet 1. Heart Rate.

Imagine that you are in a place that is pleasant to you and you want to share pictures of yourself there. How would you pose for the camera – serious, smiling, sad? Facial expressions speak more than words. It conveys the mood and emotions a person is feeling at a given moment.
And who doesn’t like to interact with cheerful, positive, smiling people? They manage to make us feel calmer, happier, forget at least for a little while the bad thoughts and moments. If you want to feel comfortable – smile!

There are different smiles – they can express true joy, friendship, pleasure, politeness, and sometimes – malice, irony or sarcasm.

Fig. 2. Smiles. Source: https://depositphotos.com/photo/girl-holds-changing-her-face-portraits-different-expressions-woman-expressing-199868662.html

The magic lies in a sincere, genuine and radiating positive emotions smile.

The power of a smile is not only in its emotional impact. It can have many positive effects on both you and others around you, strengthening the immune system, reducing feelings of pain, improving quality of life. When we smile, the brain releases so-called neuropeptides to help the body fight off stress. Then the happiness hormones – endorphins and serotonin – are activated. A happy smile helps us to cope successfully with everyday tasks, stimulates creativity, and helps us to be more resilient to stresses – physical and mental. It is contagious – when someone else smiles, we involuntarily imitate them and thus a chain of positive mood is created.

Watch a short video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk9-gkT2bI8

Let’s see what the benefits of smiling are:

Physical benefits:

1. Stress reduction: smiling lowers cortisol levels, which is a major stress hormone.
2. Improvement of the immune system: smiling and laughing stimulate the immune system, which increases the body’s ability to fight infections.
3. Lowering blood pressure: Smiling can lower blood pressure, which is good for the cardiovascular system.
4. Release of endorphins: Smiling leads to the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood enhancers.
5. Improving blood circulation: smiling helps blood circulation, which is good for the whole body.

Mental benefits:

1. Improved Mood: Smiling evokes positive emotions and can improve the mood of both the person and others.
2. Reduction of depression and anxiety: Smiling can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by stimulating the brain to produce serotonin.
3. Strengthen social bonds: Smiling signals friendship and cooperation, which can improve social bonds and facilitate communication.
4. Boost self-confidence: Smiling makes people feel more confident and attractive, which can improve self-esteem.
5. Positive impact on thinking: Smiling encourages positive thinking and can help make difficult situations easier to deal with.

Having understood so much, let’s again, familiarly, measure and fill in your heart rate level in Worksheet 1.
Then we will discuss the data from your self-study at home.