“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy,” says peace activist, spiritual leader and Buddhist poet Thich Nhat Hanh. There is truth in his words. Researchers at the University of Kansas found that smiling helps to reduce the body’s response to stress and can lower the heart rate in tense situations. Several other studies suggest that smiling can cause people to feel more uplifted or fulfilled, can help maintain blood pressure and can even lead to improved immunity.
During the pandemic, our faces have often been hidden behind face masks or Zoom’s “camera-off” setting. There has been less opportunity to smile at store attendants, neighbours and colleagues. With face masks and working from
