4 Reasons Why Laughter is the Best Medicine
We all know the mood-boosting benefits of a good laugh. Being happy can make us feel better and give us a boost. There is nothing that can work faster or more unswerving to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh.
A good laugh revitalizes your spirit, triggers hopes, connects you to others, keeps you grounded, steadfast, and alert. There are ample reasons that claim positive things laughter can do. A good laugh has great short-term as well as long-term effects.
When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your mental load, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Here are a few things that your body experiences when you laugh:
Stimulate Organs
The more we laugh, the more we breathe in large amounts of oxygen which oxygenates our blood and increases blood flow to vital organs and muscles. It also increases endorphins that are the body’s natural pain killers which can also help ease chronic pain. The function of oxygenating our organs keeps our organ and mind healthy and functioning properly.
Improves your Immune System
A well-functioning immune system has to do a lot with decreasing stress in our life. Similarly, negative thoughts can affect your body by increasing stress levels that would never let us function properly. It would only make us less focused and distracted but when we laugh, the body releases neuropeptides in the blood that helps fighting stress and depression.
Gateway Drug to Happiness
We only get addicted to drugs when we are overthinking, in tension or when upset about a certain thing. The easiest way to leave drugs is to stay happy. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
When we laugh, we feel happier, radiant and more content. It becomes easier for us to alleviate depression. Laughing also decreases your stress responses which gives you a relaxed feeling. Anticipating a good laugh can reduce your level of stress hormones too.
Fun Abs Workout
One of the benefits of laughter is that it can help you tone your abs. When we laugh, the muscles in our stomach expand and contract, similar to when you intentionally exercise your abs. Meanwhile, the muscles you are not using to laugh are getting an opportunity to relax. Add laughter to your ab routine and make getting a toned tummy more enjoyable.
Laughter is a natural part of life that is more instinctive than learned. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh.
Emotion sharing builds strong and lasting relationships while sharing laughter adds joy, vitality, and resilience to relationships. Laughter is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements and is great for uniting people during difficult times.
There are plenty of reasons to laugh but sometimes there is something that stops you to be happy. In that case, ask yourself these questions:
- Is it really your problem?
- Is it really worth getting upset over?
- Is the situation irreparable?
So go ahead and find a little humor in your daily life. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you’ve had your chuckle, take stock of how you’re feeling.
Remember to lighten up, enjoy a funny film, goof around a little, or share a funny story with someone. In other words, take time to enjoy a good laugh and then take a moment to see how much better you feel.