Overview

• The annual observance falls on the first Friday of October and traces back to Harvey Ball, who created the smiley face in 1963.
• New articles profile laughter therapist and clown Michy Zelaya, who urges five‑ to eight‑second “forced” smiles as a quick mood exercise.
• Zelaya says brief smiling can trigger feel‑good neurotransmitters and that the brain treats forced and genuine smiles similarly, a claim presented as practitioner guidance.
• Coverage summarizes research linking smiling and laughter with lower stress hormones such as cortisol, better blood pressure and immune responses.
• Reports note differing histories on the organizing body, citing a World Smile Corporation founded in 1999 and a Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation established in 2001, as social platforms fill with posts and memes.