Your facial expressions may be part of the mind-body connection that shapes how movement feels
Quick question. What does your workout face look like?
Not the face you make for a post-workout selfie. I’m talking about the face you make in the middle of your workout.
I know what you’re thinking. “Jenn, why are we talking about faces we make when struggling through the last curl, pushup, or few seconds of a push?”
That’s exactly what I thought when my colleague, Dr. Millie Lytle, brought this idea to my attention.
According to research, our facial expressions can send signals to the nervous system. This happens through three key parts of the brain and nervous system, including the facial nerve, the amygdala, and the midcingulate cortex. What’s interesting is that we don’t need to understand every detail of biology to experience this mind-body connection. We can simply recognize that the expressions we make may influence how the brain and body respond.
What you do need to know is that what’s happening on your face may be communicating with the autonomic nervous system as you exercise. The autonomic nervous system includes both the sympathetic nervous system, associated with fight-or-flight or freeze, and the parasympathetic nervous system, associated with rest and digestion. The vagus nerve is also part of this larger conversation around the body’s regulation and response.
So, if your face shows struggle, think clenched jaw or squinting eyes, those micro-expressions can be signs of stress or danger to the body. As a result, they may increase cortisol and contribute to greater fatigue.
For many of us, physical activity and exercise are important ways to relieve stress from the body. If we’re constantly sending our nervous system signals of struggle, we may be adding to the stress response and missing out on some of the restorative benefits exercise can provide.
Now flip that around.
Smiling or even laughing while you exercise may send different signals to the brain. These expressions can be associated with the release of dopamine and endorphins. We know the brain follows the rule that “what fires together, wires together.” So, if we can pair movement with moments of joy, laughter, and reward, we may help create a more positive association with exercise over time.
Special shout-out to anyone who has ever said they loathe exercise, along with the people who keep doing it despite hating it.
I wonder what would happen if you found a way to smile or laugh while you move?
I think this makes a strong case for finding a type of movement you enjoy.
That’s why, personally, I love group fitness. The other day, I was standing next to people I know in a workout class, and we laughed throughout the whole hour. We made jokes, bopped our heads to the music, and found things to enjoy, even during the extraordinarily challenging moments.
Sure, I could have angrily struggled through the workout. Instead, I made the choice to create an experience that felt rewarding instead of punishing.
It’s worth paying attention to how our facial expressions can become feedback. They may help us notice when we’ve reached our edge or whether we’re settling into a rhythm that feels more sustainable.
There are certainly times when we want to challenge ourselves and embrace the struggle. There are also times when it may serve us to look for laughter, enjoyment, and connection. Paying attention to the expression on your face may help guide you toward the kinds of movement you naturally want to revisit.
If anecdotal evidence is worth something, I shared this idea with someone who recently started running, which was a huge personal challenge. They mentioned they had heard this tip and started smiling during the hard parts of their runs. They said it helped.
As someone for whom running makes me feel like I’m going to die, maybe smiling is the piece I’ve been missing too?
Maybe not.
Either way, the next time you engage in physical activity, take a moment to notice your face.
You don’t need to force a smile through the entire workout. Simply becoming aware of your expression may open the door to more moments of laughter and joy. Those small moments may help us create a relationship with movement that feels rewarding and something we want to return to again and again.