Laughter is a strong medicine. Laughter helps strengthen your immune system, boosts mood, lessens pain and reduces stress. Laughter releases endorphins which help dull pain.
Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. It also helps you to release anger and be more forgiving.
The ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
No one really understands why the body responds so favourably to laughing but it appears that a wave of electricity washes over our cerebral cortex in the brain which activates immune cells, reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and makes our body release endorphins. Even just smiling has a good effect and makes the body release dopamine.
Laughter relaxes the whole body- A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
Laughter boosts the immune system- Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
Laughter triggers the release of endorphins- the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Laughter protects the heart- Laughter gets the diaphragm moving which help propel the blood around the body increasing blood flow. This can in turn help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
Laughter lightens anger- Nothing diffuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking at the funny side can put problems into perspective and enable you to move on from confrontations without holding onto bitterness or resentment.
Laughter may even help you to live longer. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humour outlived those who do not laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling cancer.
Physical health benefits of laughter
- Boosts immunity
- Lowers stress hormones
- Decreases pain
- Relaxes your muscles
- Prevents heart disease- a study in japan looking at 21,000 people over 65 years old found that the non- laughers were 21% higher risk of heart disease and 60% stroke risk then those who laughed every day.
Mental health benefits of laughter
- Adds joy and zest to life
- Eases anxiety and tension
- Relieves stress
- Improves mood
- Strengthens resilience
Social benefits of laughter
- Strengthens relationships
- Attracts others to us
- Enhances teamwork
- Helps defuse conflict
- Promotes group bonding
Laughter and mental health
Laughter stops distressing emotions- You cannot feel anxious, angry, or sad when you are laughing.
Laughter helps you relax and recharge- It reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.
Laughter shifts perspective– allowing you to see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light. A humorous perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and diffuse conflict.
Laughter draws you closer to others- which can have a profound effect on all aspects of your mental and emotional health.
How to bring more laughter into your life
Laughter is a natural part of life. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.
Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humour and laughter, as you might with working out, and build from there.
Here are some ways to start:
Smile. Smiling is the beginning of laughter and like laughter, it’s contagious. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. Try smiling at everyone you meet each day and see the effect this has on them.
Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the good things in your life will distance you from negative thoughts that are a barrier to humour and laughter.
When you hear laughter, move toward it- Seek out people who are laughing and hope that they will share the joke with you. Try to spend time with people who make you laugh. If you do not see many people each day then watch comedy programs on TV that you find funny.
Simulated laughter
It is possible to laugh without experiencing a funny event—and simulated laughter can be just as good for you as the real thing. It can even make exercise more fun and more productive. A Georgia State University study found that incorporating bouts of simulated laughter into an exercise program helped improve older adults’ mental health as well as their aerobic endurance. Plus, hearing others laugh, even for no apparent reason, can often trigger genuine laughter.
To add simulated laughter into your own life, search for laugh yoga or laugh therapy groups. Or you can start simply by laughing at other people’s jokes, even if you don’t find them funny. It will make both you and the other person feel good, draw you closer together and who knows may even lead to some spontaneous laughter.
Creating opportunities to laugh
- Watch a funny movie, TV show, or YouTube video
- Seek out funny people
- Share a good joke or a funny story
- Read a funny book
- Play with a pet
- Go to a “laughter yoga” class
- Do something silly
- Make time for fun activities (e.g. bowling, miniature golfing, karaoke)
References-
Laughter Therapy – Guide to the healing power of laughter, including the research supporting laughter therapy. (Cancer Treatment Centres of America)
Laugh Lots, Live Longer – Details Norwegian study that found having a strong sense of humour may extend life expectancy. (Scientific American Mind)
Laughter-Based Exercise Program for Older Adults has Health Benefits – Research that shows the health benefits of simulated laughter. (Georgia State University)
The Benefits of Laughter – Article on the social benefits of laughter and the important role it plays in the relationships between people. (Psychology Today)
The Science of Laughter – Psychologist and laughter researcher Robert Provine, Ph.D., explains the power of laughter, humour, and play as social tools. (Psychology Today)
The Age well Project-Book written by Annabelle Streets and Susan Saunders