“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
Laughter is a gift that is unique to humans and is one of the best feelings imaginable. Even the sound of others laughing can be contagious. But it has some amazing benefits and effects on the body and mind too, giving us even more reason to giggle…or chuckle…or even snort with mirth!
The Health Benefits of Laughing
Incredibly, laughing doesn’t just feel good because we’re amused. It actually has loads of health benefits that make it worth investing time and energy into being proactive about laughing. Not exactly a tough chore…
Here are some of the major health benefits of laughing:
- Having a good chuckle boosts your endorphin production, which makes you feel good and, importantly, improves your immune system So, laughing actually helps you to fight disease, inflammation, and infection.
- Laughing helps to relax your muscles. This, in turn, makes your whole body feel more relaxed and comfortable. This also helps to relieve chronic pain that is caused (directly or indirectly) by muscle spasms.
- It improves your mood – in reducing your blood pressure and relaxing your muscles, you feel more relaxed and positive, which can only make you feel more positive and cheerful.
- Laughing can help to fight depression and anxiety. Yes, the benefits go beyond just feeling more relaxed. We produce dopamine and serotonin when we laugh, which are integral to fighting depression and anxiety over the long term.
- It improves memory.
- Being intentional about laughing and finding the positive in a situation is great for stress relief It also forces you to think about all the things you have to be grateful for and to appreciate them. So, over time, you become a more positive person.
- It improves blood circulation because it causes our blood vessels to expand. This helps to fight heart disease and reduces your blood pressure.
- Having a good laugh helps to relax your colon and promote good peristaltic movement. So, it improves digestion and protects against gastrointestinal diseases and disorders.
- You’re more likely to sleep well after you’ve had a good laugh.
- Laughing is slimming. A hearty laugh involves about 400 body muscles that, when all exercised at once over a fairly long time, can be a great workout for the body. In fact, the benefits of 10 minutes of cardio in the gym can be achieved with 100 laughs.
- Incredibly, a good, regular chuckle can promote creativity.
- Laughing and smiling makes you more attractive and approachable to others. And, we all tend to flourish when we feel liked by others.
How to Laugh More
In a world where stress and anxiety can be overwhelming, we need to be more and more intentional about ways to combat this. Laughing may seem like something that has to come naturally, but it has amazing benefits even if we force it at first. The brain doesn’t differentiate between real and fake laughter. So, by proactively finding things to make us laugh, or by faking it at first, we can experience huge benefits.
Laughter Therapy
This is a psychotherapeutic technique that involves stimulating laughter in a group setting. As one person begins to laugh (even if it isn’t genuine), it becomes contagious, and everyone begins to follow suit. Even those that may find it hard to express their emotions often benefit from this type of forced or coerced glee. Here are some laughter therapy techniques.
Of course, not everyone has access to such formal therapy. But the concept can apply to all of us…fake it ‘til you make it!
Make it Hearty!
When you do laugh – whether it’s natural or induced – make it hearty! This is more convincing to your brain and employs more muscles. Ultimately, this makes you feel happier and more relaxed.
Watch Your Favourite Comedy
Is there a comedian or sitcom that never fails to make you laugh? Be intentional about making time to watch or listen to them. Fight the guilt of indulging yourself. This is important to your physical and mental health.
Spend Time with Good Friends
Those giggles that you only share with your trusted besties are like free therapy! Take advantage of opportunities to hang out with the friends that make you truly, unabashedly laugh out loud.
Keep a Journal of Funny Memories
Remember the time that Tracy ran into the glass door? Or when Kim had eaten half a main course with a stranger before realising he wasn’t her blind date? Or when Bob decided to dry out the wet firecracker in his mom’s microwave? Keep records of the memories that have made you laugh until your cheeks hurt. You’ll need them on a day that you’re struggling to remember anything positive.
Be Grateful
It’s important to remember the good things in your life rather than dwelling too much on the painful, stressful aspects. We all have problems, but we also all have a lot to be grateful for. A gratitude journal that forces you to think of five (or more) different things to appreciate every day is an excellent way to shift your perspective to being more positive and finding more and more to laugh (or smile) about.
A Word of Warning
Be careful not to try mask serious trauma with laughing. Intense trauma, anxiety or depression need more than laughter therapy (which can be a part of your approach). In addition, sarcasm is not a healthy way to try to make others laugh. Usually, when people really need a laugh to help them to feel better, sarcasm may hurt or offend them.
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