Laughter is good medicine
WHY YOU NEED A REGULAR DOSE
When was the last time you had a really good laugh? Or an attack of the giggles? Did you feel pretty good afterwards? There’s a reason for that. Studies have shown that laughter has a whole lot to offer, and when there’s so much else in life that can bog us down, having a good laugh is just what the doctor would order if they came in tablet form.
Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.
Charlie Chaplin
Did you know:
Laughter can boost the immune system, causing an increase in the special cells responsible for defending the body against infection.
During a laugh, your breathing rate, heart rate and blood pressure temporarily go up. This causes oxygen to surge through your bloodstream, which actually lowers blood pressure.
The effect of laughter is similar to antidepressants. Laughing releases the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by most common antidepressants. It’s not clear how long this effect lasts, but the burst of brain activity is undoubtedly potent, at least for short periods.
Laughter protects your heart. Research has shown that laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect that protects blood vessels and heart muscles from the damaging effects of cardiovascular disease. How this happens isn't entirely understood, but it seems related to lessening the body’s stress response, which is directly linked to increased inflammation.
Laughter improves the performance of all our blood vessels, increasing blood flow, which can also help protect against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
It can reduce blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and non-diabetics alike.
It relaxes the whole body, relieving tension and stress. It’s been shown that muscles in the body are relaxed for up to 45 minutes after a hearty laugh.
Laughing burns calories and is sometimes referred to as ‘inner jogging’. A hearty laugh gives the muscles of the face, chest, shoulders, stomach and diaphragm a good workout.
When we laugh, our brain releases powerful chemicals called endorphins. These natural morphine-like compounds raise our pain threshold, produce sedation and induce euphoria (commonly called a ‘natural high’). In other words, we feel better when we laugh because the chemical cocktail our brain delivers reduces physical and mental pain.
Spread some laughter
The endorphin effect explains why social laughter is so contagious – and bonding. Spreading a happy neurochemical release through groups promotes a sense of togetherness and safety. We humans are naturally social creatures, so when someone starts laughing others will laugh too, even if they’re not sure what everyone is laughing about.
Laughing with others helps build connections and strengthens existing relationships. Some researchers believe that the most important function of laughter is to help people form relationships.
All this science tells us what we intuitively know: laughter is one of the best tools we have for dealing with stress. It is strong medicine for the body and the mind.
Laughter helps you stay balanced, energetic, joyful, and healthy at any age. A sense of humour helps you get through tough times, look outside yourself, laugh at the absurdities of life, and rise above difficulties. So let’s get giggling.
How to add more laughter to your life
Make time to spend with friends who make you feel good about yourself and about life.
Find a comedy show or stand-up comedian you like and watch them regularly (browse a streaming service like Netflix or YouTube).
Go and watch a stand-up comedy performance at a local theatre for the added bonus of group laughter.
Browse comedy podcasts and subscribe to your favourites so you never miss an episode. These are great for multi-tasking as you can listen while you do housework or walk the dog.
You can even practise laughing. Here are some exercises from the University (yup – it’s a thing), try:
30 Second Laughter: Laugh non-stop for 30 seconds. You could shrug your shoulders, as if to say, “I don’t know why I am laughing.”
Gradient Laughter: Smile, then start to giggle, slowly turning those giggles into a laugh. Gradually increase your laughter in tempo and volume.
Happy Memories Chuckle: Go back in time and find a truly happy memory, typically of a time when you felt safe, loved, surrounded by people you loved, and when you all laughed. Take time to connect with this memory, laughing now as if you were back then. It normally takes 90-120 seconds to start to recreate the associated emotions.
Hearty Laughter: Make an elongated “aeeee” sound as you slowly lift both arms all the way up, then laugh heartily with your hands pointed to the sky. Imagine that your laughter is coming straight from your heart.
Humming Laughter Sounds: Laugh as you hum, mouth closed. Play with the pitch, up and down the scale, feeling the vibrations resonate through your body. As you get more adept at feeling the resonation, try and move it deliberately, through your chest, your jaw, your nose, your sinus cavities, your forehead, to the top of your head, and then back down again.
Laughter Breath: Inhale deeply, then exhale in a combination of quick bursts of air coming out and finishing with vocal laughter. Repeat 5-7 times.
When compared with pharmaceuticals, laughter is easy to prescribe and you don’t have to worry about dosage, side effects, or allergies. So, along with eating your vegetables and getting enough sleep, laughter is a great prescription for enhanced health. Take some every day.
