15 May Why I smile when I go to the dentist

I went to the dentist a little while ago. And I tried to smile the whole time.

I do that even though I really don’t like getting my teeth cleaned or any dental work at all. I always find it uncomfortable and unpleasant, even though I have a really nice and competent hygienist and a sweet and gentle dentist. I felt like frowning.

So why am I smiling? Because I’m acting “as if”. That means I’m acting as if I’m happy to be there.

The idea behind acting “as if” is that your mind listens to your body. The smile is a mini power pose. Your body language speaks to others around you, but it also speaks to your mind inside of you.

Power poses

Power poses were popularized by a TED Talk by Amy Cuddy. She told all about research where people would adopt a Wonder Woman type pose, or other expansive, powerful looking poses, and then take a stressful interview. This was compared to people taking weak, hunched over poses before their interviews. And of course, the power posing people made much better impressions during their interviews.

I tried power poses in the elevator on my way to visit a doctor. I wanted that doctor to start referring patients to me for health coaching. Yes, it worked.

How does it work? Mainly because your body affects your mind and your mind affects your body. It’s a two way street.

If you are scared, or even think a scary thought, your heart may race, or your gut will turn into a knot. What goes through your mind will affect your body. You especially see this with stress. Cortisol is released and slows your digestion and raises your heart rate, and chronic stress can even reduces fertility.

But you can turn the tables and use your body to tell your mind to relax. Or take a different attitude. My smile made me feel more relaxed and content, while the hygienist scraped my teeth with sharp objects, even though I was tense and I occasionally winced. So my body, in the form of a smile,  controlled my mind.

Slow your breath

Another great way to control your mind is with your breath. If you slow your breathing, in and out at a slow pace, you automatically start to relax. This is the basis of meditation. It’s also part of a program known as Heartmath, where you monitor how your heart responds to your slow, even breathing. The benefit of taking time to slow your breathing is a calmer you, who sleeps better, and tends to have better health.

These are great tools that I help clients to use when I’m health coaching. The most common use for these tools is to manage stress. For example:

Your boss gives you a correction, so you smile, and say you’ll get on it. The butterflies in your stomach ease a little because you smiled.

Your mother-in-law compares you (unfavorably) to her friend’s daughter-in-law. You breathe out slowly to regain your composure.

Gaining health takes courage. The world encourages you to eat junk food and do other bad habits. So you can try power poses:

Before a social gathering where everyone is eating pizza and cookies and you will say no thank you.

When mustering up the determination to exercise.

You are the placebo

Gaining a healthy lifestyle requires you to use your strengths. But it can feel overwhelming and you can feel defeated. That’s where acting as if getting healthy is possible comes in handy. That is, acting as if you know you can heal if you give your body what it needs to heal. This positivity allows you to draw on your strengths.

That’s actually what the placebo effect is all about. You believe, or act as if, that this pill will heal you (even if it’s a sugar pill). The reverse also works. You don’t believe this treatment will work and, guess what, it doesn’t. You can try harnessing the placebo effect to good use. You act as if you know that your nutrition, sleep, and exercise will bring greater health. And then better health results.

It’s amazing what power our minds have over our bodies. And vice versa. That’s the mind-body connection.

If you’re struggling to reach your health goals, I can help you harness the power of your mind to bring health to your body. That’s because I’m a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. I’ve been trained in mind-body techniques, as well as how to support you as you optimize diet, sleep, and exercise. Contact me and let’s set up your free introductory phone call and let’s see if we can work together.

Comments: Tell how your mind controls your body.

Amy Cuddy: Ted Talk on Power Poses

Headspace: Meditation 101

Heartmath

Joe Dispenza: You Are the Placebo

Chopra Center: Mind-Body Connection

This article is for information purposes only. See Disclaimer below.