The Smile Break

A good way to start the new year is with a smile. Smiling is highly contagious and can quickly circulate within the school. It is one way to make our brains produce endorphins, important for pain control, peace and well-being.

Here's an experiment you can do to feel the actual benefits of smiling. Clench a pen horizontally between your teeth and grin. How do you feel? Next, hold the pen horizontally between your lips in front of your teeth and try to grin as wide. How does this feel? Most people don't feel as happy with the pen between their lips because it doesn't activate all the facial muscles involved in smiling. You get a more positive feeling when your whole face smiles!

Often we have students take a movement break to stretch muscles. Did you know we use 17 muscles when we smile? Why not have the class take a smile break? Visit this website for more information:

http://www.computerfit.com/ch2part2i.html