Bupa conducts smiling social experiment in central London A study of 2,000 adults found seeing a loved one get good news, receiving a surprise gift and getting a hug also feature on the list. While others experience the same joy after getting into bed with freshly washed sheets, seeing an old friend and watching a puppy. Don't miss.
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Lo's lifestyle' and 'checked out of marriage' [LATEST] But for 46% of people, simply having someone smile at you makes you feel happy, with 65% of adults saying that it improves their mood. That positive boost lasts for an average of more than 13 minutes, leaving them more likely to be kinder to others (37%), more motivated (19%) or make a bold decision (9%). Bupa Dental Care commissioned the research as part of National Smile Month, to highlight the benefits the friendly gesture can have.
However, an experiment saw just 21% of adults return the friendly gesture from a stranger. During a two-hour period, actress Zara Naeem smiled at 112 different people as they walked past her - with only 24 replying with the same expression. Psychologist, Jo Hemmings, said: “When we smile, a number of psychological and physiological changes occur that impact both ourselves and those around us.
“Smiling releases endorphins, dopamine and serotonin – hormones which improve our mood and our sense of well-being – and also reduces cortisol, our .
