Smiling Is Good for Your Heart!    [10-08-2012] It’s really hot even at night these days and you may feel more easily annoyed or tired. But why don’t you try to smile even when you are stressed? Researchers found smiling can reduce stress levels! It can also make your heart stronger. So, try to smile as often as possible! Researchers at the University of Kansas found in their new study that smiling can reduce stress and help the heart. They studied the effects of different types of smiling in difficult situations. They wanted to examine whether smiling could have real health benefits. Dr. Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman led the study. They divided smiles into two categories - standard smiles and genuine smiles. Standard smiles only use the muscles surrounding the mouth, while genuine smiles use the muscles surrounding both the mouth and eyes. The researchers recruited 169 volunteers from a Midwestern university and divided them into three groups. Each group was trained to hold a different facial expression. Then, they studied the types of smiles to examine the effects on stress. Compared to participants with expressionless faces, participants who were trained to smile and those with genuine smiles had lower heart rate levels after recovery from stressful activities. “We found that smiling works as a panacea for life’s stressful events. It is also an important non-verbal indicator of happiness,” said Tara Kraft. The researchers said that smiling would help you overcome stressful situations. It might actually help your heart’s health as well. So, the next time you are experiencing some type of stress, try to hold your face in a smile for a moment for your heart!     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)