7 reasons why you should laugh more
You may have heard the saying that “laughter is the best medicine.” Well, research has shown time and time again that laughter is great for your health – but that’s just one of seven reasons why you should laugh more…
Reason 1 – Strong Medicine for Mind & Body
Laughter is an amazing source of physical and emotional healing. Physically, laughter improves deep breathing, blood flow and boosts your immunity. Emotionally, finding the humor in even the most difficult things we face can be a powerful step to bringing some light into what can often seem a depressing situation. Humour lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.
“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” – Mark Twain
Reason 2 – Laughter is Attractive
Laughter makes you more attractive and attracts others who like to laugh. Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. All emotional sharing builds strong and lasting relationship bonds, but sharing laughter and play also adds joy, vitality, and resilience. And humour is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts.
“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” – Audrey Hepburn
Reason 3 – Laughter Enhances Learning & Creativity
Research has show that students are more likely to learn easier from a teacher who is able to break the classroom routine with humourous stories. A teacher who enjoys laughing manages to create a more relaxed and positive environment in the classroom. Moreover, if the information presented can be associated with jokes or a humourous part, there are better chances that the students will remember the main points of the class. So if you have children and or in teaching, introduce more humour and you’ll see the benefits!
Reason 4 – Laughter is a Universal Language
Just like music, laughter is a unique human phenomenon that happens in every culture. It helps us to go beyond our cultural differences by emphasizing what we have in common. This is especially important in the increasingly multi cultural society that we live in.
Reason 5 – Laughter is One of the Best Pain Medications
When you laugh, the brain releases stress hormones, helps control pain by increasing endorphines and by allowing a person to set aside aches and pains, allowing the body to relax. At the same time, laughing is the best distraction from pain and it leads to a pleasant muscle relaxation. Next time your head or belly aches, you should try laughing at it!
Reason 6 – Laughter Helps You Lose Weight
Have you ever laughed so much that your belly ached? Well, this is because this activity is known to act like a 15 minute intense workout. Laughing means working out the diaphragm, contracting the abdominal muscles and exercising the shoulders, all at the same time! In addition, laughter is known to raise the heart rate and metabolism. As a consequence, if you engaged in a weight losing program, you will get faster results if you surround yourself with happy people and make a habit out of watching comedies on a regular basis.
Reason 7 – Laughter Relieves Stress
Laughter relaxes the muscles in the body and eases stress, anxiety and fear and according to clinical research when you laugh, your body is more prone to releasing T cell antibodies that boost and protect the immune system. To put it simply, happy people are less likely to get sick compared to individuals who prefer to see the empty half of the glass.
Furthermore, laughter is also proven to reduce the levels of four types of hormones that are currently being linked to stress. Even if laughter provides a short period of happiness, its long term effects against stress cannot be denied.
Courtesy of www.uncoverdiscover.com
