Guillaume Duchenne ( ) experimented with electricity and determined that smiles resulting from true happiness not only utilize the muscles of the mouth but also those of the eyes. Such "genuine" smiles are called Duchenne smiles in his honor.Guillaume Duchenne

The emotional response to endorphins is happiness which creates a smile, but the smile also creates endorphins. We smile when we're happy but we also become happy when we smile; it works both ways. The emotional response to endorphins is happiness which creates a smile, but the smile also creates endorphins. This lifting of our mood is wonderful for our health and well-being. It boosts our immune system and can even improve our posture. Yes, I do mean that. You can experiment by putting yourself into an awful slouch so you are really collapsed and slumped forwards then say "I am Happy!!" Does this ring with any truth? Now if you bring yourself up to your full height (use the principles of the Alexander Technique if you know how, by freeing your neck and thinking your head upwards), look out into the world around you, relax your shoulders, stand broad across your shoulders and now say "I am Sad!!" That does not ring with truth either, does it?

If you gain top marks in an exam you are elated and will feel 'UP', but if we fail we may feel depressed. The actual word 'Depressed' also applies to our posture and the effect of our downward collapse depresses our insides. There are a great many people who do not smile much; indeed none of us do compared to when we were children, laughing up to 600 times a day. But the smile, as long as it is an honest one not only does so much for our health, but will also improve our social life; it is contagious and what we give out, we receive in return.

None of us consciously think about the types of smile that people give, but our subconscious certainly reads facial expressions more accurately than we can possibly imagine, so we know how to respond to others. It's all body language. It has become popular with some people to try and eliminate the crow's feet from around the eyes by Botox or anti-wrinkle cream, in an attempt to 'stay young'. It is unlikely that our subconscious will be fooled by this as we read so many small signals in body language, eyes, posture, movement and spirit.

Attempting to reduce these little lines around the corners of our eyes also removes part of the expression that makes us attractive, our display of happiness; by doing so we interfere with our Duchenne smile! Far better I think, to allow all our natural expression to show; exude the qualities that we like to see in others. Apparently long-onset smiles have been shown through tests to be perceived as more attractive, more trustworthy and less dominant. Head tilting also increased attractiveness and trustworthiness but only if the head is tilted in the right direction. In this case, the right direction is the same way as eye orientation or towards a partner.

Make friends with your Duchenne smile and others will make friends with you too... :-)

Created by Meghan Hipple, Elmira College