Research shows that smiling has many positive effects on our health. This might explain why the people in the studies with bigger smiles had longer lives. 40 It also lowers blood pressure. Smiling can affect the brain in the same way as exercise. For example, it increases the amount of feel-good hormones such as serotonin and endorphins. 41 Furthermore, recent brain research shows that just the act of smiling can actually make us happier. 42 But then, our smiles send a message back to the brain that makes us feel even happier. Smiling is clearly good for us. 43 It is easy to see that smiling is much more than just an expression of happiness. It's a powerful tool for maintaining both emotional and physical health.