The North East has been named the third most smiley region in the country, averaging 11.08 smiles per day, just ahead of Yorkshire and the Humber at 11.06.
The research, commissioned by teeth-whitening brand Whites Beaconsfield, also revealed that nearly 17 per cent of Brits say they smile less than they did in 2022.
Miriam Akhtar, an expert in positive psychology, said: “Smiling is the natural expression of a host of positive emotions like joy, delight and amusement.
“The physical act of smiling activates pathways in the brain that influence your emotional state, so by adopting a happy facial expression, even if you aren’t feeling particularly joyful, you can ‘trick’ your mind into feeling better.”
Top reasons for smiling less include socialising less (45 per cent), constant negative news (37 per cent), and the cost-of-living crisis (36 per cent).
