We all know that feeling we get when we have a giggling fit, laugh with friends, or even see something funny on Facebook that makes us guffaw. What you are feeling is a physiological change in your body. With laughter, your body releases hormones and uses muscles that benefit your body and mind.
Laughter has recently been compared to the positive effects that exercise has on the body. Many studies have been conducted on this topic, all concluding the same results. Here is how laughter helps your body and mind:
- Overall wellbeing: laughter has been shown to release endorphins, just like exercise does. This could be the reason that laughing can also reduce the intensity of pain for those who suffer.
- Immune booster: laughing boosts your immune system by decreasing stress hormones and increasing antibodies that fight disease and infections.
- Social benefits: just like going to the gym and lifting weights with friends or meeting people in an aerobics class, laughing is a social activity. Laughing tends to be with other people. This fills your need for social interaction with family and friends in a positive way.
- Negative emotions are kicked to the side when you laugh. It is hard to be sad or angry when you are laughing. It is a great mood-lifter.
- Laughing is a relaxing activity. You will find that after you have a good belly laugh that you will still be relaxed a half hour later.
- Laughing helps your organs out. It increases your intake of oxygen which benefits your lungs, muscles, heart and brain.
If you find that it is difficult to find something funny to laugh about, just start with a simple smile. From there, just give a little laugh even if you have to force it. Sometimes, just by starting to laugh, you will continue the laughter until your giggling so much that you don’t remember why you started. Try to surround yourself with other people who enjoy laughing and see the lightness in life. Your body and mental wellbeing will thank you for it.
To find a laughter yoga class online or in person, visit www.LaughterYoga.org!
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