Name: The hidden power of smiling
Uploaded: 2011-05-11T14:14:00Z
Duration: 7 min 9 s
Description: Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior.

Ron Gutman: The hidden power of smiling

The hidden power of smiling

Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior.

Smiling has profound effects on well-being, longevity, and human connection. Research shows that the span of a smile in old photos can predict how long someone will live, with beaming smiles linked to nearly 8 extra years. Smiling is contagious, hard to resist, and even newborns—sighted or blind—do it instinctively. Studies reveal that a single smile can stimulate the brain as much as 2,000 bars of chocolate or a windfall of $25,000.