The Science of Optimism

Smiling through the pain may really do the body some good. Positive thinking is a key part of stress management. It doesn’t mean that you ignore a difficult or painful situation — it means focusing on the good in a situation instead of the bad. These habits may be helpful in managing stressful situations and constructive in solving them, which may result in reduced effects of stress on the body. In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers measured the facial expressions of people while they discussed a recently deceased spouse, to detect levels of distress. Participants were asked to speak freely of their deceased spouse’s life and to describe their relationship and recall specific memories. They reported lower levels of distress in those who displayed genuine smiling and laughter during the discussion than in those who did not.