Sometimes, the best health advice is also the simplest...and how great is it when that happens?
According to a new study, having a positive attitude can go a long way—in life in general, and even in your workouts. Researchers found that subjects who felt "powerless" were more likely to estimate the weights of boxes they had to pick up as being much heavier than they really were. Those who had a more positive attitude—who felt like they had some power in the world and in their lives—estimated the boxes' weight as much lighter. Worth it to at least try to grin at your next workout, right?
The seemingly tiny act of smiling can offer its own health benefits too. A study from the University of Kansas found that smiling genuinely can drop your heart rate. In fact, the research even suggests that smiling while in the midst a stressful task can help your brain and body recover from the stress more quickly afterward. Another study in the European Heart Journal showed that participants with a more positive outlook were less likely to develop heart disease than Debbie Downers.
Smiling can also just make you feel good. Not only does a smile release feel-good endorphins, it also stimulates the rewards center of the brain—big-time. As in, one smile makes your brain feel as happy as it might if you'd consumed 2,000 chocolate bars. Um, two thousand.
And, while not exactly health-related, research has also found that people who smile look younger than people who don't.
Of course, when you're not in a shiny-happy mood, it can be hard to muster up a smile. Lately, this squirrel trying to bury a nut in a dog's coat has done wonders for my mood (look at his tiny tapping paws!):
What do you think? And what's made you smile today?
source:www.glamour.com
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