Top Ten Smiles Stats to Kick-off 20th Happiness Happens Month

“We live in a busy, chaotic and sometimes overwhelming world, which means it’s more important than ever to take a few minutes to be mindful of the simple act of smiling,” explained Pamela Gail Johnson, founder of the Society of Happy People. “Smiling is the universal language of happiness, so it’s only natural to want to recognize the people who begin that smile chain for us. Our Smile Starters Awards are doing just that, by applauding one smile giver at a time.”

The Society has presented 40 Official Smile Starter Awards to commemorate the importance of smile starters, but everyone can give their personal Smile Starters Awards with our free Smile Starter Award graphics or the Society’s official Smile Starter wristbands and certificates.

As someone who has studied happiness for the past 20 years, Johnson has grown the Society of Happy People from a core charter group of 50 to thousands of members in 45 countries around the world. Among the reasons that she cites for the Society’s longevity is that people value the experience of happiness and welcome the communal aspect of being part of a positive, uplifting organization that encourages them to embrace happiness where they find it.

Here are the Society of Happy People’s Top 10 Smile Statistics:

     Smiling provides the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 chocolate bars or 16,000 pounds sterling in cash. (Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act (TED Books)

     More than 30% of people smile at least 20 times each day, while less than 14% smile less than 5 times per day. Children smile 400 times per day. (The Journal)

     Despite previous understanding, new findings show that smiling is not a learned response. 3D Imagery shows that babies smile in the womb. (BBC News)

     A study of Major League baseball cards found that players with large smiles in their pictures lived an average of seven years longer than players who did not smile. (Ernest L. Abel and Michael L. Kruger: 2010 Wayne State University research project.)

     Not only do animals smile, but research shows that dogs have a sense of humor and can even laugh. (Penny Stallings, 2011)

     A study found that people who smiled while getting an injection felt 40% less pain those who did not smile. (Science Links)

     Smiling acts as a facial massage that delivers blood, endorphins, and antioxidants to the skin’s surface. (Viva Woman)

     Researchers have found that it is difficult to frown when looking at someone who is smiling. (Journal of Nonverbal Behavior)

     Smiling is linked with reduced stress levels, increased health, endorphin levels, and lowered blood pressure. (Psychology Today)

     A study found that runners who smiled during a workout were more relaxed and had better results than those who frowned. (CNN)

To become a member of the Society of Happy People or learn more about the 20th annual Happiness Happens Month, visit www.sohp.com. 

For more information on their Smile Starter Awards, visit https://sohp.com/happiness-happens-month-2019/.