Humor is contagious. One of the greatest feelings is that deep-rooted laugh. The very sound of deafening laughter is more infectious that any flu, cough or sneeze. Whenever laughter is shared, it somehow connects people together. Anything from a minor giggle to a roaring laughter can totally change the ambience of a room from being chilly to a warm environment. Laughter can also trigger certain healthy physical changes. Humor and laughter is said to boost the immune system, enhance your energy, takes away pain and helps in protecting you from the damages of stress. What’s great about laughter is that it’s free. It’s fun. And everyone can do it!
Laughter‘s Short-term benefits
Laughing has some good short-term effects. Once you begin to laugh, it does not only lighten your mental load, it actually triggers physical changes in your body. It can also help:
Activate various organs– Laughter can help in increasing the intake of oxygen-rich air, rouses the heart, muscles and lungs, and raises the endorphins levels that are being released by the brain.
Stimulate and relieve your stress response– A good laugh can fire up and cool down a stress response and raises blood pressure and the heart rate. And the result is a good and comfortable feeling.
Relieve tension– Laughter is also a good stimulant for circulation and helps in muscle relaxation; both are helpful in reducing certain physical manifestations of stress.
Laughter‘s Long-term effects
Laughter is not just good for short terms. It also has long lasting effects, such as:
Boosts your immune system-Having negative thoughts are shown by chemical reactions that has an effect on your body by conveying more stress to your system and lowering your immune system. In comparison, positive thoughts can instead discharge neuropeptides that aids in fighting stress and any potential serious illnesses.
Relieves pain-Laughter can help alleviate pain through producing natural painkillers. It also has the capability to disrupt the pain-spasm cycle which is natural to a few muscle disorders.
Increases personal satisfaction– Laughter is also helpful in coping with problematic situations. It is also helpful in connecting with others.
Improves your mood– A lot of people experiences depression, oftentimes because of chronic diseases. Laughter can aid in minimizing depression and anxiety and of course can make you feel happiness.
Bringing more humor and laughter into your life– Laughter is inside you, a normal part of life that’s inborn and inherent. Infants start to smile in the first weeks of life and begin to laugh out loud in just a few months after birth. Even though you didn’t grow in a house where laughter is natural, learning to laugh is possible at any point of your life.
Start to set special times to look for laughter and comedy, as you may during workout, and start from there. Ultimately, you’ll want to integrate laughter and humor into any aspect of your life, discovering it naturally in anything you do.
Below are a few ways to begin:
Smile-Smiling is the start of laughter. Just as laughter, it is spreadable. Forerunners of laugh therapy have found out that it is possible to laugh even without experiencing anything funny. The same is true with smiling. When you see and look at something even somewhat pleasing, you can practice smiling.
Count your blessings-You can literally create a list. Simply considering all the good things that has happen in your life will take you away from negative thoughts that are a hindrance to humor and laughter. Whenever you are sad, you have a long way to get laughter.
Set humor on your horizon-Simple things like comic strips and pictures that can make you laugh are helpful. And you can hang them in your room or put it in your workplace. You can also keep hilarious movies at hand when there is need for a humor boost.
Laugh and the humanity laughs with you-Look for ways to laugh out your own situations and see your stress slowly go away. Though it feels forced, just practice laughing. It is good for your body.
Share a laugh-Spending time with acquaintances that can make you laugh is also great. And you can return the favor through telling jokes and sharing humorous stories with people around you.
Know what isn’t funny-Do not ever laugh at the expense of others. There are certain humors that are not appropriate. Decide properly on delivering a joke, if it is good or bad.
Laughter is the best medicine
Turn that frown upside down and then have a laugh. And once you are laughing, take a stock on what you’re feeling. Are you feeling relaxed? Or do you feel your muscles to be a bit tense? Those are the natural wonders of laughing working within you.
