Feeling low? Try smiling. Wearing a smile could trick your brain into happiness.
Even a fake smile could make you feel better. Take for instance, a non-Duchenne smile—the smile you wear when someone is about to take a photo of you. In a non-Duchenne smile, someone says , 'cheese,' and you simply raise the corners of your mouth. “It has been shown in many studies that even if you are not happy being in a certain situation, and you just smile, slowly you will start to feel the same situation to be much more okay to be in,’’ says Dr Sagar Mundada, a consultant psychiatrist at Healthspring, Mumbai.
How does a facial expression trigger a corresponding emotion? “Our facial expressions send muscular signals to the brain, making us feel emotions corresponding to the expressions,’’ explains Mundada.
Facial feedback hypothesis states that our facial expressions affect our emotions. It could hold true not just for happiness, but other emotions as well. It is also a good way to keep your emotions in check when you feel overwhelmed by negative emotions such as fear or anger.
A classic experiment by Paul Ekman in 1983 established this hypothesis, says Dr Rekha Ahuja, assistant professor and head, department of psychology and counseling, St Joseph’s Evening College, Bengaluru. “A group of professionally trained actors was asked to make facial expressions such as raising their eyebrow and stretching their lips wide towards the ears. This made their heart rate increase and body temperature decline, similar to the reactions seen during the emotional experience of fear,’’ explains Rekha. “When we smile, we are more likely to experience the emotion of happiness, even though our environment doesn't provide any clue to make us feel happy. Similarly, facial expressions for different emotions evoke physiological changes congruent to that emotion. Therefore facial expressions not only accompany but also produce emotional experiences,’’ she adds.
Facial feedback hypothesis could help us regulate our emotions when we are overwhelmed by anger or fear. It helps us experience positive emotions more and avoid negativity. “So avoid frowning, if you don’t want to feel unhappy. If you don’t want to feel angry, stop clenching your teeth,’’ says Mundada.
Dr Shyam Bhat agrees with the facial feedback hypothesis. “The mind-body relationship is certainly bilateral—each influences the other. And just as moods alter our body as well as facial expressions, alteration of facial expression can influence mood.’’ That said, he adds the facial feedback hypothesis does not work always. For instance, smiling may not make someone having a major depressive disorder feel better immediately. “The effects of facial feedback hypothesis are mild and will not be sustained in people with more serious affective disorders,’’ argues Bhat.
“Moreover, although facial expressions are the most obvious physical manifestation of depression, it affects the entire body, and therefore changing only facial muscle function will not achieve long-term results. A more holistic approach is to use bodywork and yoga,’’ he says.