Forcing your facial muscles into a fake, pained smile can actually trick your brain into releasing serotonin and dopamine, lowering your heart rate and reducing stress levels.

A closer look

Forcing your facial muscles into a fake, pained smile can actually trick your brain into releasing serotonin and dopamine, lowering your heart rate and reducing stress levels. The neurological feedback loop between your facial expressions and your amygdala works in both directions, meaning you can literally gaslight your own nervous system into experiencing joy. It is a terrifyingly effective coping mechanism that forces you to physically grimace like a serial killer at your desk while your brain reluctantly squirts out just enough happy chemicals to prevent you from rage-quitting your nine-to-five job